Hong Kong CAD: Expected Christmas Day passenger volume to reach nearly 200,000, close to the peak.

The Hong Kong Airport Authority has stated that since the three-runway system was put into operation on the 18th of last month, operations have been smooth. It is expected that during the Christmas period, the daily passenger volume at Hong Kong Airport will peak at nearly 200,000, and capacity will return to pre-pandemic levels. Kelvin Yau, Executive Director of Airport Operations of the Hong Kong Airport Authority, said that the number of daily flight applications has reached 1,150 flights, almost reaching the pre-pandemic level of 1,200 flights per day. It can be said that the airport capacity has fully resumed, and the airport will welcome a post-pandemic peak during Christmas. Kelvin Yau predicted that the peak departure period for Hong Kong residents traveling overseas will be from the 20th to the 22nd of this month, with the peak arrival period being from the 27th to the 29th. The Hong Kong Airport Authority will increase manpower to cope with the peak period, with all airport security personnel cancelling their vacations, opening all security channels, and using Car Park 1 to facilitate the entry and exit of passengers. Kelvin Yau further pointed out that with the use of the three-runway system, wait times for take-off and landing during peak periods can be shortened, and the number of flights needs to gradually increase to allow airlines and ground staff to adapt gradually. In terms of overall manpower at the airport, he mentioned that the three-runway system will require 100,000 personnel, while currently there are 60,000 people working at the airport, so there is a need to recruit an additional 40,000 people. He emphasized that local recruitment will be prioritized, and if recruitment is unsuccessful, the Hong Kong government's Supplementary Labour Scheme will be used to bring in foreign workers.