HKIA scheduled to open third runway by 2023

The Executive Council’s endorsement of the the construction of a third runway at Hong Kong International Airport should see the new runway completed by 2023.

Secretary for Transport & Housing Eva Cheng said the Airport Authority can now proceed with an environmental impact assessment, plan design details and financial arrangements. The runway is expected to cost US$136 billion.

"The executive council has approved in principal the airport authority's recommendation to adopt the three-runway system as the future development option for its next stage of planning," Cheng said.

The Government has asked the authority to conduct the environmental study in a strict and professional manner, looking at marine ecology, noise and air quality. The assessment is expected to take two years.

The government wants the authority to complete the assessment, design and financial options by the end of 2014 so the runway can be completed by 2023. Hong Kong is the world's busiest cargo airport.

 The Airport Authority says it needs a third runway to keep pace with the rapid growth in air traffic. The airport's two existing runways are forecast to reach capacity by 2020.

Cheng emphasised the need for long-term planning for the airport since air traffic last year already reached the forecast demand for 2013.

HKIA is third worldwide in terms of international passenger flows in 2010, behind London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle.