The Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre with a full range of facilities for the use of business aircrafts has been officially opened at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (SAR) in Canada, Mr Donald Tong, said today (Friday).

Together with the two runways in full operation round-the-clock, Mr Tong said the world class HKIA had more than enough slots to cope with business flight demands.

"Hong Kong is recognised as an international financial, business and trading centre where air-cargo throughputs are amongst the highest in the world," he said.

"It is indeed fitting that we should complement these with the introduction of the business aviation centre to enhance our position as a regional hub for business transport."

Mr Tong hoped that the establishment of the centre would facilitate air transportation for business people and corporate CEOs into and out of Hong Kong, thereby attracting more foreign corporations to set up headquarters or regional centres in Hong Kong.

The centre was officially opened on September 17 by the Financial Secretary, Mr Donald Tsang, who said that Hong Kong SAR was best placed to develop into a centre for business aviation in Asia.

The Business Aviation Centre which was only able to provide a limited range of services in the past year or so, has already handled about 800 flights since the opening of the new airport in July 1998.

Conference rooms, dedicated customs and immigration clearance, lounge and other aircraft support services are among the facilities available at the centre.

Meanwhile, the Airport Authority (AA) announced that the majority of delayed flights affected by the passage of Typhoon York had been cleared. In addition, some 150 extra flights had been handled after the passage of the typhoon, representing a 33 per cent increase on the airport's daily average of 450 flights.

This rapid recovery to normal operations following the most destructive typhoon in 16 years is a result of the efforts and co-operation between AA, the airlines and all the service providers at the airport.

The AA established an Operations Recovery Group at the Airport Emergency Centre (AEC), to co-ordinate delayed flights, and assist with the re-scheduling of some flights. This group also provided essential liaison with the various handling companies to ensure the maximum use of aircraft parking positions enabling flights to be unloaded and depart with the minimum of delay.

The AEC is brought into operation when the tropical cyclone signal No. 8 is raised and is the focal point for communications enabling the airport to return to normal operations as soon as possible.

For further information, please contact Mr Frank Chuan, Chief Information Officer, at (416)924-5544.

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