Hong Kong Airport starts three-runway operations

Marking a significant milestone of Hong Kong International Airport's (HKIA) Three-runway System (3RS), all three runways are now open for operation.

The first flight to use the re-opened center runway of HKIA was a special community flight operated by Cathay Pacific on November 28 – CX8333 – carrying members of the city's airport community. According to flightradar24, CX8333 took off from the center runway at around 1550H, traveled south of the city before returning to land on the northern runway an hour later.

During the commissioning ceremony, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive John KC Lee said: “This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the PRC. The three-runway system of HKIA has been completed and is now in operation, carrying passengers from around the country and cargo to more destinations, and providing more options for global passenger and cargo flow into the Mainland, which is particularly significant. HKIA is an important gateway to the world for Hong Kong and the entire Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, playing a strategic role in social and economic development."

Airport Authority of Hong Kong (AAHK) chairman Fred Lam added: “The 3RS will significantly enhance the overall capacity of the airport, further expanding our extensive air traffic network and consolidating our position as an international aviation hub. The commissioning of the 3RS will provide impetus for the Airport City development and support Hong Kong's economic growth. Leveraging Hong Kong's unique strengths, the Airport City will be a world-leading new landmark, attracting visitors from all around the world and driving Hong Kong’s economic development.”

The HKIA 3RS project – first started in 2016 – is designed to raise the capacity of Hong Kong's airport to serve 120 million passengers per year, and handle 10 million tonnes of cargo by 2034. The North Runway was commissioned in November 2022, while the now re-opened Center Runway was closed for upgrades. Until the reopening of the Center Runway, HKIA had been operating with two of its three runways. 

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