Former Hong Kong aviation director calls for rethink on third runway plan
Former aviation director claims talks on PRD airspace were 'derailed' by his successor and airports should be under unified control
The former head of the Civil Aviation Department has lashed out at his successor for "derailing" tripartite talks on airspace in the Pearl River Delta and souring relations with mainland aviation officials ahead of the planned third runway.
Albert Lam Kwong-yu, who was director general of civil aviation until 2004, claimed that his successor, Norman Lo Shung-man had an ambitious plan to expand Hong Kong's control of the skies regardless of whether the airspace issue could be resolved.
Lam called for a halt and complete rethink of the estimated HK$136 billion runway project - until all airports in the delta region, including in Macau and Shenzhen, were brought under a unified "control authority" for landings and departures.
Because of military airspace restrictions to the north, Chek Lap Kok airport was already unable to utilise its two existing runways fully, he said, and the problems would not go away even with a third airstrip.
"It's like paying billions for 100 oranges but getting only a few in return," said Lam, who headed the department from 1998 to 2004.
The third runway is forecast to increase Chek Lap Kok's operational capacity from the current 68 flights per hour to 102, the Airport Authority says. But this also depends on whether Shenzhen will cede some of its airspace to Hong Kong.
The authority declined to comment on Lam's allegations, saying it was a matter of civil aviation. It has repeatedly stated, however, that airspace issues will be resolved by the time the runway is completed in 2023.