Economic crisis hits passengers, cargo through Hong Kong airport


HONG KONG (AFP) — The number of passengers travelling through Hong Kong's airport dropped 4.7 percent year-on-year in September as the global financial crisis hits the aviation industry, the airport authority said.

Figures from the Hong Kong Airport Authority showed 3.6 million passengers came through the city's airport during the month compared with 3.8 million a year earlier.

Cargo also dropped, with 317,000 tonnes handled in September, down 7.5 percent on the previous year, the authority's figures showed.

The number of flights edged down 0.4 percent to 24,570.

The reduction in passengers was mainly the result of fewer visitors to the territory, while travel by Hong Kong residents and transit passengers also decreased slightly, the figures showed.

On the cargo front, the decline was widespread, including import, export and trans-shipment.

"The steep decline in traffic volumes in both passenger and air cargo clearly reflected a very troubled global economy as a result of the financial tsunami, which has affected all countries in the world," Stanley Hui, chief executive officer of the airport authority said in a statement released Sunday.

"The US and Europe, the biggest trading partners with Hong Kong and China, saw a significant drop in air cargo traffic to/from Hong Kong in the month."

Hui said the annual "Golden Week" holiday also saw fewer visitors arrive by air than in 2007, showing a continuing decline in traffic between Hong Kong and mainland China.

"Given the very difficult operating environment and shrinking demand in the economic slowdown, airlines are expected to further scale back their operation or put on hold their expansion plans," Hui said.

"The aviation industry is expected to face even more difficult times in the coming months."

Hong Kong's carrier Cathay Pacific said last week its passenger numbers in September had dropped 0.7 percent year-on-year, with business and first class travel hit particularly hard.

HKIA Press Release:
HKIA Introduces Self-service Airline Check-in Kiosks (http://hongkongairport.com/eng/media/press-releases/pr_938.html)

Fears of more airline firings
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, October 20, 2008

Fears of massive layoffs are hitting the aviation sector amid rumors that 100 or more crew members have been sacked during the economic turmoil.

The Staff and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines said at least eight flight attendants from Hong Kong Airlines were sacked over the weekend.

Ip Wai-ming, Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker and deputy general secretary of the union, said some were sacked for the second time this year as they were former employees of Oasis made redundant when the company was liquidated.

"Eight is just the number of sacked employees seeking our assistance. Rumors have spread that the exact number is more than 100, though this could not be confirmed," Ip said.

The sacked employees were not told the reason for their dismissal, and some received seven days' wages in lieu of notice.

It is thought their jobs may have been cut as a result of the merger of Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express, Ip said.

Cathay Pacific yesterday said it has no plans to lay off workers, though it admits there has been a freeze on the hiring of office staff.

The carrier recruited 1,400 flight attendants this year and will consider its turnover figures in determining recruitment plans for next year.

Meanwhile, the airport handled 3.6 million passengers and 317,000 tonnes of cargo last month, 4.7 percent and 7.5 percent down from a year ago.

Airport Authority chief executive Stanley Hui Hon-chung said the industry faces an uncertain future.

"The National Day Golden Week holiday brought fewer visitors to Hong Kong by air this year than in 2007, showing a continuing decline in traffic," Hui said. "Given the very difficult operating environment and shrinking demand in the economic slowdown, airlines are expected to further scale back their operations or put their expansion plans on hold."

Meanwhile, HSBC (0005) Asia chief executive Sandy Flockhart said it does not rule out further layoffs, as the financial tsunami looks set to have a longer and deeper impact than previously expected.

"The impact is going to come more severely to Hong Kong," Flockhart warned. "There is going to be a slowdown - you can see it happening now." In September, HSBC cut about 100 backoffice staff in Hong Kong from its global banking and markets division.

Standard Chartered (2888) said it has no plans to lay off staff in Hong Kong "at the moment."

About 1,500 BEP workers protested outside their closed factories in Shenzhen yesterday, demanding payment of their August and September salaries.

The Shenzhen government has promised to investigate and refer the case to a labor tribunal for hearing on Friday.

Grand China Airlines wins approval to buy stake in Hong Kong Airlines
20 October 2008

BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - The National Development and Reform Commission said it has granted approval to Grand China Airlines' planned stake purchase in Hong Kong Airlines, formerly CR Airways. The commission did not provide further details. Grand China Air agreed to take 60 pct of the Hong Kong carrier at the end of 2005 but later cut the stake purchase to 45 pct as Hong Kong government raised concerns about a Hong Kong airline under mainland control. Grand China Air is the parent of the mainland's fourth-biggest carrier Hainan Airlines Co Ltd. Investor George Soros holds 18.64 pct of the parent company.

Two city airlines cut jobs in crisis
Cathay also freezes recruitment as impact of 'financial tsunami' grows
20 October 2008
South China Morning Post

An airline workers' union has warned that more layoffs are on the way after it received requests for help from eight flight attendants sacked by two local carriers.

The number of passengers and amount of cargo handled at Hong Kong International Airport stood at 3.6 million and 317,000 tonnes in September, down 4.7 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively from the same month last year.

Airport Authority chief executive Stanley Hui Hon-chung said the steep decline in both passengers and air cargo reflected the troubled global economy.

"The US, Europe and the biggest trading partners with Hong Kong and China saw a significant drop in air-cargo traffic to and from Hong Kong in the month," he said.

The comment came as the Staff and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines yesterday confirmed that eight flight attendants from Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways had sought the union's help.

"The company sacked the eight on Saturday," union general secretary Chan Po-choi said.

"They asked the company why they had been terminated, but no reply was given.

"This is only the beginning, and we believe more layoffs will come. When the economy worsens, all companies want to cut operation costs.

"We know that many business-class ticket bookings have been cancelled recently. It seems the industry is now getting a taste of the power of the financial tsunami."

Hong Kong Express general manager Pauline Kee Ching-wan declined to comment yesterday.

Mr Chan said some affected flight attendants were former Oasis employees - which meant they had been sacked twice in less than six months.

"Oasis only closed down in April," he said.

"We hosted recruitment events for their staff and Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways took part in the event and hired some workers."

The starting pay for flight attendants hired by the two companies is HK$7,800 a month and they get a HK$320 allowance per return flight. Mr Chan said some staff told the union that they had to undergo a six-month probation and were only given seven days' notice of termination.

"The employment terms offered by these companies seems to be the worst among all airline companies in Hong Kong," he said.

Established in 2001 and 2004 respectively, sister airlines Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways fly new Boeing 737-800 aircraft between Hong Kong and more than 30 cities in Asia.

The union demanded that the companies accept their social responsibilities and not shift operational difficulties on to employees.

"The companies should adopt other measures such as restructuring operations to cut costs instead of sacking workers," Mr Chan said.

Cathay Pacific chief executive Tony Tyler told staff via the company's intranet on Saturday that the global financial crisis was having an increasingly serious impact.

He said traffic figures showed a decline in passenger numbers and cargo for September, and the first half of October did not look good.

"There is now an urgent need for us to deal with the consequences {hellip} of what Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen this week described as a financial tsunami," he said.

"We will begin by suspending all recruitment at both Cathay Pacific and Dragonair.

"This suspension applies to recruitment for all vacancies.

"It is certainly going to be a difficult time for the airline, but there is no change to our intention to keep the team together."

From news.gov.hk:
Air routes incentive plan extended (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/infrastructureandlogistics/081022/html/081022en06002.htm)

SATS to acquire Menzies Aviation Hong Kong


Oct 22, 2008 (Datamonitor via COMTEX) -- SPASF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Singapore Airport Terminal Services, a ground-handling subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of Menzies Aviation Hong Kong for approximately HKD18 million.
Menzies Aviation Hong Kong (MAHK) is owned by Menzies Aviation, a provider of ground handling of airfreight for freight forwarders and airlines. The purchase consideration was based on the net asset value of MAHK, on a cash-free and debt-free basis.

The acquisition of MAHK is expected to provide Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) with a ground and ramp handling business that complements its existing cargo operations at the Hong Kong International Airport through its joint venture company, Asia Airfreight Terminal.

Clement Woon, president and CEO of SATS, said: "This acquisition is line with our plan to focus on our customers and to increase presence in locations that will create new service opportunities with them."

Republication or redistribution, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent. Datamonitor shall not be liable for errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon

Air routes incentive plan extended


A new-destination incentive arrangement for airlines will be improved and extended to December 31 next year, to encourage the launch of new air routes, the Transport & Housing Bureau says.

It is part of the changes the Airport Authority proposes the Scheme of Airport Charges will implement. The arrangement's one-year extension will allow the authority to continue offering airlines a rebate on landing charges for flights between Hong Kong and a new destination.

Other changes include specifying the parking charge for aircraft parked in areas other than a parking stand at $80 per 15-minute parking unit, and using the highest maximum take-off weight of the relevant aircraft type known to the authority to calculate the landing charge should an airline fail to provide the concerned aircraft's flight manual.

The bureau said today the changes will have positive economic implications. Airlines will be encouraged to introduce new routes which enhance Hong Kong's connectivity, benefiting the civil aviation and tourism industries and strengthening the city's position as an international hub in the region.

The Board of Airline Representatives in Hong Kong supported the changes, which will be gazetted on October 24 and effective on January 1 next year.

Hong Kong International Airport posts -4.7% fall in September traffic; CEO expects “difficult times” in months ahead – 21/10/08


HONG KONG. Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) handled 3.6 million passengers in September, a drop of -4.7% from the same month last year. Air traffic movements edged down -0.4% to 24,570.

The main reduction in passenger traffic came from visitors while travel by Hong Kong residents and transfer/transit passenger number decreased slightly.

Airport Authority Hong Kong CEO Stanley Hui Hon-chung said: “The steep decline in traffic volumes clearly reflected a very troubled global economy as a result of the financial tsunami, which has affected all countries in the world. The US and Europe, the biggest trading partners with Hong Kong and China, saw a significant drop in air cargo traffic to and from Hong Kong in the month.

“Meanwhile the National Day Golden Week holiday also brought fewer visitors to Hong Kong by air this year than 2007, showing a continuing decline in traffic between Hong Kong and Mainland China as well. Given the very difficult operating environment and shrinking demand in the economic slowdown, airlines are expected to further scale back their operations or put on hold their expansion plans. The aviation industry is expected to face even more difficult times in the coming months,” Hui added.

Air traffic figures for the first nine months of 2008 recorded mild growth over the same period last year. Passenger volume rose +3.7% to 36.7 million, while air traffic movements grew +3.1% to 225,715.

On a rolling 12-month basis ended 30 September, HKIA handled a total of 49.1 million passengers and 302,225 aircraft movements, up by +4.9% and +3.8% respectively over the corresponding period last year.

HK Airlines to halt mainland routes
23 October 2008
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong Airlines will suspend three mainland routes as early as Sunday to stem losses amid weakening travel demand, according to a source.

The carrier would halt flights to Xian, Chengdu and Chongqing when the winter schedule began because bookings for those routes were lukewarm, sources said, adding the Xian route would return next summer.

Travel agents said quotes for the three routes were available until October 31 but the airline had yet to update prices for next month.

"We can't book tickets for our clients on those routes from November due to the lack of new information," said a travel agent.

Although Xian, Chengdu and Chongqing were popular destinations, travellers from the United States and Europe usually fly there via Beijing and Shanghai instead of Hong Kong as more airlines were using mainland cities as gateways, an industry veteran said.

Foreign carriers such as Lufthansa, Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines have increased their presence in Beijing and Shanghai in recent months. Connections at the two mainland cities were also more convenient because of their more frequent schedules to other domestic cities, he said.

Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways, both partly owned by the mainland's HNA Group, had ended passenger flights to Xiamen and Nanchang because of insufficient demand.

After the reshuffle, the two airlines would operate 13 mainland routes, including Shanghai, Haikou, Guilin and Hangzhou, although all but Haikou were loss-making, a source said.

The two airlines had no plans to merge because some of their aviation rights would be forfeited if they combined, the source added.

The source said they were struggling to obtain credit as banks no longer considered receivables from travel agencies as eligible collateral.

As such, the airlines were relying on shareholders' loans to fund operating expenses such as fuel costs and wages but the amount was capped at HK$2 million, he added.

Dragonair launches daily flight to Hanoi
27 October 2008
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong-based Dragonair, a sister airline of Cathay Pacific, has launched daily return flights to Hanoi, the airline said Monday.

The first flight to the southern Chinese city took off from Noi Bai's international airport Sunday. The route is the eighth new destination launched by Dragonair since it became part of the Cathay Pacific group in September 2006, it said in a statement.

"We believe our new service will further strengthen business and tourism ties between our home city, Hong Kong, and this vibrant country with its fast-growing economy and rapidly expanding tourism market," said Dragonair General Manager of Operations, Captain Peter Sanderson.

Dragonair operates a fleet of 32 passenger aircraft and five freighters, serving 34 regional destinations, including 20 cities in mainland China.

Virgin Atlantic Launches Second Daily Service To Hong Kong
28 October 2008
Dow Jones International News

Virgin Atlantic said today that it has launched a second daily long-haul service between London Heathrow and Hong Kong.

The new flights, which will be daily from 4 December this year, will complement the airline's existing daily programme to Hong Kong, which connects to Virgin Atlantic's flights to Sydney.

Virgin Atlantic first launched flights between London and Hong Kong in February 1994 and has since carried over 2.3m passengers on the route.

The new second daily service will double the airline's capacity between London and Hong Kong, offering passengers more choice and flexibility when travelling to the Far East and Australia.

The new flight will be operated on an Airbus A340-600. From October 28, flight VS238 will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and then operate daily from December 4. VS238 will depart London Heathrow Terminal 3 at 16.00, arriving in Hong Kong at 12.30pm the following afternoon.

Flight VS239 will operate between Hong Kong and London Heathrow on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from October 29, and then operate daily from December 5. VS239 will depart Hong Kong at 14.15, arriving at London Heathrow at 19.20 the same day.

Hong Kong airport traffic continues to drop


The operator of Hong Kong’s airport is warning of difficult times for the Asian aviation industry in the worsening global economy as air traffic at the airport fell again in September, according to a report in Airwise News.

“Given the very difficult operating environment and shrinking demand in the economic slowdown, airlines are expected to further scale back their operation or put on hold their expansion plans,” the chief executive of the Airport Authority, Stanley Hui, said. “The aviation industry is expected to face even more difficult times in the coming months.”

In September, the Hong Kong International Airport reported traffic of 3.6 million passengers, a decrease of 4.7 per cent as compared with the same month one year ago.

The US and Europe, which are China’s largest trading partners, experienced a sharp fall in air cargo traffic into and out of the Hong Kong airport.

The number of flights was also down, with international passenger, cargo and non-revenue flights declining by 0.4 percent in September, down to 24,570.

“The steep decline in the traffic volumes in both passenger and air cargo clearly reflected a very troubled global economy as a result of the financial tsunami,” the airport executive added.

Thanks to www.travelmole.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

Support for new connections from Hong Kong Airport


The Hong Kong Transport & Housing Bureau has planned to extend their new-destination incentive arrangement for airlines, in a bid to promote new services from Hong Kong.

Improving the arrangement, and extending its validity to December 31, 2009, is only one part of the proposed Scheme of Airport Charge implemented by the Airport Authority.

The one year extension will continue to offer airlines a rebate from the authority on landing charges between Hong Kong and any new destination, according to news.gov.hk.

The changes will also involve specifying parking charges at $80 per 15-minute parking unit for aircraft parked in anywhere other than a parking stand.

In addition, should an airline fail to provide the concerned aircraft’s flight manual to the authority, landing charges will be calculated using the maximum take-off weight of the relevant aircraft type.

The changes are intended by the Transport & Housing Bureau to have positive economic implications, encouraging new routes to enhance the connectivity of Hong Kong.

This ought to secure the status of Hong Kong as an international hub for the region, whilst benefiting the civil aviation and tourism industries of the city.

The changes are to be gazetted on October 24, with the full support of the Board of Airline Representatives. They are intended to become effective on January 1, 2009.

DART Helicopter Services Opens Distribution Center in Hong Kong


DART Helicopter Services (DHS) has opened a warehouse/distribution center for helicopter accessories in Hong Kong, President & CEO Jeff Shapiro announced today. The facility is being operated in conjunction with Avion Logistics Limited.

Visit DART representatives this week (Exhibit 405) at Helitech 2008, Oct. 14-16 in Estoril, Portugal.

“This is a further expansion of our global footprint, and will help meet the helicopter accessory needs of operators in Asia and the entire Pacific Rim region,” Shapiro said. DHS offers more than 1,500 parts and accessories for AgustaWestland, Bell, Eurocopter, MD, Robinson, Sikorsky, Schweizer and Hiller helicopters.

DHS has experienced rapid growth since its founding in 2004. The company has 15 locations worldwide, and 2007 revenues grew more than 250 percent from 2006. Recently, DHS has announced its acquisition of Canam Aerospace Inc., and Cargo Net Innovations. Additionally, the company was named the exclusive worldwide distributor for Red Barn Machine’s commercial product line and AKV Inc.

With an exclusive focus on designing, marketing and selling helicopter accessories, DHS has adopted a unique and successful approach to its business by focusing on designing solutions to improve helicopter operations. Specifically, DHS products are better engineered, with more innovative features and higher quality than competitive offerings. Additionally, DHS is the sole source for certain products, such as floats with integrated life rafts, for example.

About DART
DART Helicopter Services LLC is a privately held sales and marketing company that creates sales networks for aerospace manufacturers that benefit from DART’s global marketing network and sales channel and for rotary-wing operators seeking a comprehensive product line and superior customer support. DART Helicopter Services, along with its subsidiaries Apical Industries Inc., Canam, and Geneva Aviation Inc. and its affiliate DART Aerospace Inc., owns nearly 400 STCs and manufactures more than 500 products. With its highly trained and knowledgeable North American and international sales team, DART Helicopter Services distributes more than 1,500 aftermarket products to more than 120 countries worldwide.More information is available at:http://www.darthelicopterservices.com/

About Aviation Logistics Limited
AA: is a spare parts sales, storage and distribution business in Hong Kong. The company is also an Authorized Spare Parts Distributor for Hawker Beechcraft Corp. in the Asia-Pacific Region. More information is available at:http://www.avionlogistics.com.hk/.

Double posts

China Airlines Announces Flight Number Changes
29 October 2008
Travel Business Review

The flight numbers on many Southeast Asia and Taoyuan-Kaohsiung routes have been changed by China Airlines.

This has been done as preparation for network expansion and future scheduled cross-strait flights. Routes between Taoyuan and cities including Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Singapore, Jakarta, Denpasar, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Phnom Penh, Hong Kong and Kaohsiung have had their flight numbers changed.

Flights CI 601/602, CI 605/606, and CI 607/608 to and from Hong Kong are to maintain their original numbers. CI 701- CI 799 will be the numbering for flights to and from the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. Flights to and from Thailand and Cambodia will be numbered between CI 801 and CI 899, and CI 901-CI 999 is to be the numbering for flights to and from Hong Kong. Connecting flights between Taoyuan and Kaohsiung are to have the CI 300-310 numbering.

Cross-organisational Runway Inspection Kicks Off the 2008 Ramp Safety Campaign
Press Release

(HONG KONG, 31 October 2008) – Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) today held the first-ever cross-organisational runway inspection – a special event to kick off this year's annual ramp safety campaign.

A total of 120 participants from 27 airport organisations, including the Airport Authority Hong Kong, government departments, airlines, ramp operators and other business partners, inspected the North Runway from 0715 to 0815hrs and removed debris that could disrupt normal runway operation. To ensure a safe operating environment, HKIA puts in place a comprehensive, round-the-clock monitoring programme which includes five daily runway inspections and regular airfield checks.

Executive Director, Airport Operations of the Airport Authority, Howard Eng said, "Top on our priority, safety is a collective responsibility of the entire airport community which requires the devotion of each and every one of us to fulfil our roles and perform our duties. Today's event showcases the commitment of the airport community to making HKIA the world's safest airport for passengers and staff."

Apart from the routine work safety programmes and events, a large-scale ramp safety campaign is organised every year to reinforce safe airfield operations and promote best practices among airport community. This year's campaign includes a series of talks and seminars on workplace safety for staff working at airfield and baggage hall and a comprehensive safety audit to evaluate the operation safety procedures of ramp operators.

Many other events are organised to promote workplace safety, for example, ramp staff who follow best safety practices will be recognised in a safety role model competition. Other initiatives include photo competition, safety quiz and crossword puzzle game. A new safety video will also be shown at designated workplaces.

Every year, HKIA conducts more than 100 safety training workshops and communication programmes. With the support of business partners, HKIA won a safety performance award from the HK Occupational Safety & Health Council in the past five consecutive years and an international safety award from the British Safety Council in 2008.

中 港 航 班 每 周 大 縮 100 班
http://appledaily.atnext.com/template/common/header/images/2007/atnext_head_01.png

【記 者 呂 焯 均 報 道 】 受 金 融 海 嘯 重 創 的 本 港 航 空 業 ， 中 港 航 空 服 務 傷 得 最 重 。 民 航 處收 集 所 有 航 空 公 司 最 新 的 航 班 資 料 後 得 悉 ， 本 月 起 的 冬 季 定 期 航 班 ， 每 周 劇 減 約 130 班 ， 其 中 8 成 約 100 班 是 往 來 香 港 與 內 地 多 個 大 城 市 的 航 班 ， 包 括 上 海 、 廣 州、 成 都 、 北 京 ， 反 映 中 港 商 貿 和 旅 遊 業 務 正 急 促 萎 縮 。

顯 示 港 航 空 業 務 萎 縮

民航 處 每 年 均 向 航 空 公 司 收 集 夏 季 和 冬 季 的 航 班 數 目 ， 以 監 察 機 場 使 用 情 況 ， 若 有 剩餘 的 航 空 時 段 ， 可 盡 快 審 批 給 其 他 航 空 公 司 。 然 而 民 航 處 剛 完 成 本 月 至 明 年 3 月 的冬 季 航 班 表 卻 顯 示 ， 本 港 航 空 服 務 正 在 萎 縮 ， 來 往 內 地 的 情 況 更 嚴 峻 。
民 航處 資 料 顯 示 ， 今 年 夏 季 航 班 每 周 有 約 2,970 班 ， 其 中 客 運 佔 約 2,500 班 ， 但 本 月 開始 的 冬 季 航 班 ， 卻 縮 減 約 130 班 ， 全 部 是 客 運 服 務 。 航 空 界 人 士 說 ， 由 於 夏 季 的 旺季 時 間 較 長 ， 故 一 向 以 來 冬 季 航 班 數 目 都 較 夏 季 少 ， 但 最 多 是 減 少 幾 十 班 ， 今 年 的情 況 很 特 殊 ， 明 顯 是 受 全 球 經 濟 衰 退 的 影 響 。 今 次 客 運 縮 減 215 班 ， 雖 然 有 些 城 市的 航 班 亦 有 增 加 ， 但 互 相 抵 銷 後 仍 合 共 減 少 約 130 班 。
資 料 顯 示 ， 8 成 的 縮班 都 是 內 地 的 主 要 大 城 市 ， 包 括 縮 減 最 多 ， 達 21 班 的 上 海 ， 其 次 是 廣 州 和 成 都 分別 有 17 班 ， 北 京 有 14 班 ； 長 途 線 的 美 國 洛 杉 磯 則 縮 減 14 班 。 歐 洲 和 亞 洲 的 影 響較 少 ， 其 中 東 南 亞 更 出 現 增 長 ， 例 如 泰 國 曼 谷 增 加 最 多 ， 共 10 班 ， 其 他 5 個 亞 洲城 市 都 分 別 增 加 7 班 ， 包 括 馬 來 西 亞 吉 隆 坡 、 菲 律 賓 馬 尼 拉 和 克 拉 克 、 日 本 北 海 道、 越 南 河 內 。 此 外 ， 有 其 他 航 空 公 司 開 辦 每 周 7 班 香 港 飛 北 京 航 線 ， 令 北 京 每 周 實際 上 只 縮 減 7 班 。

南 方 航 空 縮 65 班 最 多

航空 界 人 士 指 出 ， 中 港 航 空 服 務 受 金 融 海 嘯 衝 擊 ， 南 方 航 空 公 司 是 今 次 香 港 與 內 地 航班 縮 班 最 多 的 公 司 ， 共 65 班 。 其 他 的 內 地 航 空 公 司 包 括 東 方 航 空 、 中 國 民 航 、 廈門 航 空 和 四 川 航 空 都 一 律 縮 減 中 港 班 次 ， 本 港 港 龍 也 有 削 減 。 內 地 海 南 航 空 為 母 公司 的 香 港 航 空 公 司 ， 則 把 大 幅 削 減 內 地 航 線 騰 出 的 航 機 和 機 組 人 員 ， 改 投 日 本 及 東南 亞 航 空 服 務 。

今 年 冬 季 每 周 定 期 航 班 變 動

冬 季 航 班 總 數 （ 班 ）
客 運 ： 約 2,370 　 貨 運 ： 473

夏 季 航 班 總 數 （ 班 ）
客 運 ： 約 2,500 　 貨 運 ： 470

加 減 幅 度 （ 班 ）
客 運 ： 約 減 130 　 貨 運 ： 加 3

冬 季 新 增 航 班 （ 班 ）
客 運 ： 83 　 貨 運 ： 32

冬 季 縮 減 航 班 （ 班 ）
客 運 ： 215 　 貨 運 ： 29

增 班 最 多 城 市 / 班 次 （ 客 運 ） ： 曼 谷 /10 ， 吉 隆 坡 /7 ， 馬 尼 拉 /7 ， 克 拉 克 /7 ， 北 海 道 /7 ， 北 京 /7 ， 河 內 /7

縮 班 最 多 城 市 / 班 次 （ 客 運 ） ： 上 海 /21 ， 廣 州 /17 ， 成 都 /17 ， 北 京 /14 ， 洛 杉 磯 /14 ， 河 內 /10

資 料 來 源 ： 民 航 處

大 馬 廉 航 成 本 低 狂 賺

【本 報 訊 】 中 港 航 空 業 務 大 倒 退 ， 馬 來 西 亞 資 本 的 廉 價 航 空 公 司 AirAsia 則 看 好 本 港市 場 ， 在 冬 季 航 班 增 加 本 港 飛 東 南 亞 的 航 線 ， 本 港 航 空 界 人 士 指 出 ， 該 公 司 現 已 成為 全 球 最 賺 錢 的 航 空 公 司 ， 是 因 為 運 作 成 本 低 ， 加 上 沒 有 舊 機 ， 沒 有 龐 大 的 辦 公 室， 行 政 人 手 也 少 ， 令 整 體 成 本 下 降 ， 足 以 在 全 球 經 濟 惡 劣 的 環 境 下 生 存 甚 至 擴 展 。
內 地 海 南 航 空 為 大 股 東 的 兩 間 本 港 航 空 公 司 ： 香 港 航 空 以 及 何 鴻 燊 持 有 股 份 的香 港 快 運 ， 早 前 因 為 兩 公 司 合 併 部 份 運 作 而 削 人 手 ， 有 關 裁 員 行 動 已 完 結 ， 由 於 明年 中 將 有 兩 架 新 租 用 的 A330 到 港 ， 需 要 調 配 機 組 人 員 應 付 ， 故 兩 間 公 司 不 會 再 有裁 員 行 動 。

國 泰 全 力 減 開 支

此 外 ， 國 泰 陸 續 有 新 訂 購 的 航 機 抵 ， 但 乘 客 量 正 在 減 少 ， 國 泰 賺 錢 最 多 是 商 務 及 頭 等 機 位 ， 這 類 乘 客 減 幅 最 大 。 國 泰 現 正 全 力 尋 求 各 種 減 少 開 支 的 方 法 ， 包 括 日 前 宣 佈 出 售 舊 機 。

Pullout won't affect tourism
4 November 2008
Fiji Times

AIR Pacific's decision to withdraw flights to Tokyo does not mean the end of Japanese tourist coming to Fiji, says Fiji Island Hotels and Tourism Association president Dixon Seeto.

He said tourists from Japan could still travel to Fiji via Hong Kong or Korea following the airline's announcement to commence flights to Hong Kong.

He said Air Pacific's plan to withdraw flights from Japan would have been properly thought out and all matters concerned taken into account.

"The other alternatives for Japanese tourist to come to Fiji are through routes like Hong Kong and Korea," he said.

"This new route of daily flights to Hong Kong is also a bonus. We are hoping that business built up over the years will continue but by using different routes or carriers."

Mr Seeto said the announcement of Hong Kong would see new horizons open for the tourism market in Asia.

He said flights to Hong Kong would also open up the Asia market and service directly into two of the largest economies -- China and India. He said Hong Kong was a productive hub with its new airport and complex to all part of Asia.

"This will no doubt open new source markets for Fiji," he said. "With this new announcement, the Fiji Visitors Bureau and the FIHTA would have to look at new future development plans accordingly."

The airline, which accumulated losses of more than $35 million over the past four years, will commence flights to Hong Kong twice a week from June 2009.

Air Pacific managing director John Campbell said demand had steadily declined as economic circumstances in Japan impinged on long-haul flights and vacations.

Press Release
Hactl announces tonnage throughput for the third quarter of 2008

(10 October 2008, Hong Kong) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) announced today its tonnage throughput for September, the third quarter and the first nine months of 2008.

A total of 221,882 tonnes and 661,505 tonnes were handled in September and the third quarter, representing a year-on-year decline of 8.0% and 4.1% respectively. Tonnage throughput for the first nine months of the year was 1,939,896 tonnes, representing a cumulative year-on-year growth of 2.3%.

Export volume was 125,893 tonnes for September and 365,926 tonnes for the third quarter, representing a year-on-year decrease of 8.8% and 6.2% respectively. Despite the current market challenges, export tonnage to Africa and Middle East registered a progressive year-on-year growth of 24.0% and 18.2% in the third quarter. Cumulative export tonnage for the first nine months of the year was 1,059,988 tonnes, up 0.3% against the same period of last year.

A total of 53,110 tonnes and 163,878 tonnes of import cargo were handled in September and in the third quarter, registered a significant year-on-year drop of 12.8% and 7.5% respectively. Imports from South East Asia region remained the key driving force for the import tonnage, registering a year-on-year up of 0.8% in the third quarter. However, volume from Europe recorded a year-on-year decrease of 15.0% in the third quarter. For the first nine months, the total import volume was 501,892 tonnes, representing a slight year-on-year drop of 0.6%.

The transshipment volume was 42,879 tonnes for September and 131,701 for the third quarter, representing a climb of 1.4% and 7.6% year-on-year respectively. Total transshipment volume for the first nine months was 378,016 tonnes, up 13.0% year-on-year.

Airport Leaders Share Insights on Service Enhancement
at the 7th Meeting of the East Asia Airports Alliance (EAAA)
Press Release

(HONG KONG, 10 November 2008) – Top executives from 10 major Asian airports* in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Macau shared their experience and views on enhancing customer service and passenger flow at the Seventh Regular Meeting of the East Asia Airports Alliance (“EAAA” or the “Alliance”) held in Hong Kong on 7 November 2008. Participating airports also updated each other on future development plans to meet growing demand. This was the first time the EAAA annual meeting was held in Hong Kong.

Member airports take turns to host the regular meetings. At this year’s meeting, it was agreed that Incheon International Airport Corporation will host the next annual event. In the previous meetings, issues regarding airport operations and management covering standardisation of airport signage, facilitation of transfer passenger flow, collective marketing initiatives and application of universal design in airport facilities were discussed.

At the dinner reception held by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA), the Chairman Dr the Hon Marvin Cheung Kin-tung said that the global financial ‘tsunami’ has dealt a strong blow to economies worldwide and the aviation industry is no exception. “As the aviation industry will remain a major driver of the world’s economy amid continuing globalisation, cooperation among regional airports has become even more important. I hope to see increased cooperation among airports so as to contribute to the continued growth and development of the aviation industry, “ said Dr Cheung.

Dr Cheung added that despite the present economic challenges, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) will make no compromise in maintaining its high standards of safety, security, efficiency and service quality. The airport will remain committed to realising plans and projects that will continue to equip HKIA for future growth.

Zhang Zhi Zhong, President and CEO of Capital Airports Holding Company, took this opportunity to express gratitude for HKSAR Government’s and HKIA’s support for the successful commissioning of Beijing Capital International Airport’s (BCIA) Terminal 3 (T3), which also contributed to the overwhelming success of the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games. Mr Zhang presented gifts of appreciation to the Secretary for Transport and Housing Ms Eva Cheng, AA Chairman Dr the Hon Marvin Cheung Kin-tung, former AA Chairman Dr Victor Fung Kwok-king and AA Chief Executive Officer Stanley Hui Hon-chung.

The Alliance was established in February 2001 with a vision to promote closer cooperation among leading airports in East Asia, working together to collectively guide development of the region’s rapidly changing aviation market. It also serves as a platform for member organisations to exchange views on issues of common interest.


* Member airport operators attending the 7th EAAA meeting were:

 - Airport Authority Hong Kong
 - Capital Airports Holding Company
 - Central Japan International Airport Co. Ltd
 - Incheon International Airport Corporation
 - Japan Air Terminal Co. Ltd
 - Kansai International Airport Co. Ltd
 - Korea Airports Corporation
 - Macau International Airport Co. Ltd
 - Narita International Airport Corporation
 - Shanghai Airport Authority

Hong Kong Airlines Launch New Crew Uniform and Meals
Press Release
10 Nov 2008

To celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of the brand, Hong Kong Airlines is introducing a series of new services and promotional offer in November.

A new look of flight attendants
Starting 31st October, 2008, all flight attendants of Hong Kong Airlines have put on a new uniform. The gracious flight attendants will continue to provide excellent service with their new suits on.

http://hongkongairlines.com/web/commonImages/AboutUs/PressReleases/NewService_1_s.jpg
Smiling faces of Hong Kong Airlines flight attendants with their new suits on.

New Taste & Good Health
Imperatae Cane Drink will be served as welcome drinks in business class this winter. The drink is provided by Hung Fook Tong, a leading herbal tea chain in Hong Kong. The warm sugarcane juice contains various Amino Acid which helps quenching drynes and thirst. Imperative cane is good for eliminating heat, poison and activating fluid generation, which is a best choice for health conscious people.

http://hongkongairlines.com/web/commonImages/AboutUs/PressReleases/NewService_2_s.jpg
Imperatae Cane Drink will be served as welcome drinks in business class this winter.

From now on, a new choice of Healthy Meals will be added to the Business Class meal and available as a special meal selection for Economy Class passengers. Below are some of the newly available hot meals:

* Grilled Salmon Steak with Gremolata Sauce
* Steamed Dory Fish with Lemon Grass Broth
* Steamed Dory Fish in Light Soya Sauce
* Steamed Dory Fish with Beancurd and Straw Mushroom

http://hongkongairlines.com/web/commonImages/AboutUs/PressReleases/NewService_3_s.jpg

All these Healthy Meals are light, non-greasy and are low-calorie. Each of the above meal is available on a rotation basis bi-weekly. Economy Class passengers can place an order 24 hours before flight.

Cathay Pacific May Delay HK Air Cargo Terminal Construction
13 November 2008

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. (0293.HK) said Thursday it may delay construction of its HK$4.8 billion air cargo terminal in Hong Kong, as the carrier grapples with a sharp downturn in passenger and cargo demand brought on by the global financial crisis.

"Cathay Pacific has made it clear that in the face of the global economic downturn it is considering a number of options to ensure that it maintains a strong balance sheet," said Cathay Pacific spokeswoman Carolyn Leung.

"The timing of all capital expenditure is therefore under scrutiny."

She said the airline is in talks with the city's airport authority over the timing of the construction of Hong Kong airport's third cargo terminal, and said the airline "remains fully committed to building and operating the...terminal."

Cathay Pacific started construction of the terminal in September, as part of an agreement with Airport Authority Hong Kong to build the facility and operate it for a period of 20 years.

The airline earlier said it expected the terminal to start operations in the second half of 2011.

Garuda to Open Three Routes to Hong Kong
14 November 2008
Bisnis Indonesia

JAKARTA: Garuda Indonesia airline will open three international routes to Hong Kong following new airplane procurement next year.

Commercial Director of Garuda Agus Priyanto said the three international routes are the Jakarta-Hong Kong, Surabaya-Hong Kong, and Denpasar-Hong Kong routes.

"Flights to Hong Kong have been highly prospective. The former colony of England is known as the hub to flights to various destinations worldwide. It is why we will prioritize flying there," he told Bisnis on Wednesday.

He continued the routes to Hong Kong would be opened next year in summer. The new routes would be flown by Boeing 737-800 New Generation (NG) airplanes that would arrive gradually starting from early 2009.

Garuda, Agus added, would also restructure the Jakarta-Hong Kong route by transferring the transit point from Singapore to Denpasar.

To improve competitiveness and boost load factor, the state-owned airline would change flight routes from Jakarta to Hong Kong and China.

Garuda at the moment flies to three cities in mainland China, namely to Hong Kong, Beijing, and Guangzhou.

The Jakarta-Guangzhou direct flight will still be maintained. "In the meantime, flights from Jakarta to Hong Kong and Jakarta to Beijing will make a transit in Denpasar. We make change in transit point because only few passengers that we can carry through Changi [Singapore]. It will be more profitable if we transit in Bali," told Agus.

Agus explained Garuda also planned to open at least 18 new domestic flight routes to anticipate weaker international flights on a global financial crisis.

Prepared for takeoff
Long-distance travelling can be stress-free and enjoyable, with a little planning and the help of child-friendly airlines
15 November 2008
South China Morning Post

Even if you are a conscientious and loving parent, how many times have you got on a flight, realised you're near people with a baby or tots and groaned inwardly at the lack of sleep you're predicting for yourself?

A little unfair perhaps, but we've probably all done it. Like the rest of us, children will have some flights which are better than others, but there are a few tips that airlines and parents provide that can make long haul flights an enjoyable and stress-free experience for children.

A spokesman for Cathay Pacific had the following advice.

"For older toddlers, remember to keep a bag of toys to keep them distracted, because there's nothing like a bored and jumpy child in need of some diversion. Some children are attached to certain toys and objects that make them feel comfortable. This can include a pillow, security blanket or soft toy, so don't forget to bring them."

Young mum Emma Phillips, 35, tends to choose overnight flights from Hong Kong to her native Australia, so that her three children sleep through most of the flight. And, bar one flight, when her eldest son was six months old and a bit out of sorts, this has worked successfully.

Ms Phillips has a son, aged four, and daughters aged two and nine months. "When I flew back with my son when he was six months old it was a really bad flight because he wasn't well. The hostesses were amazing on Qantas and even took him at times to give me a break.

"Most airlines I've experienced go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that you have a good flight with your kids and also so that other passengers aren't disturbed. I tend to choose night flights so the kids sleep and you do not have to chase them up and down the aisles throughout the day."

In addition to getting the packing done, Ms Phillips said that she runs the children ragged in the local park during the day ahead of the flight, so that they are ready to sleep on board.

"Airlines provide baby cots so that they can sleep when they are infants. We take their favourite books, my son's favourite car, some toys so that they are occupied. There's usually children's television and radio provided that occupies them for a little while."

Ms Phillips suggests being organised - a separate bag for nappies, wipes, formula - so that it's easy to access in the overhead locker and you're not affecting other passengers. She also suggests briefing the children well, as it is a change in their routine, so that they are relaxed and excited about their upcoming holiday.

British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways and Qantas all provide bassinets on flights, which can be ordered in advance when booking tickets.

And as much as possible the airlines ensure that families can sit together. British Airways also provides a form of car seat, which has been rigorously tested to increase the safety of the young child on board. The ticket price for children in those seats is usually between 50 and 67 per cent of the adult fare cost.

Alternatively, children between six months and 36 months can sit on their parent's lap for 10 per cent of the fare. British Airways provides 12 Britax car seats per flight, but families can also bring their own car seats for their children.

Certain travel chairs can also be adjusted for children with little upper body support - for example if they have a condition such as cerebral palsy - so they will be able to use a disabled-children travel chair on board. The travel chair can be adjusted so that children aged between three and 11 of different body dimensions can sit in it comfortably.

For children under two who do not occupy a separate seat, Qantas charges 10 per cent of the ticket price. Children over two must travel in a separate seat. Cathay Pacific also has special fares for infant and child passengers which vary depending on the flight, which can be checked on the airlines' websites.

For unaccompanied minors, Cathay Pacific will look after children aged between six and 12 who are not travelling with a parent or guardian - both on the flight and in transit. "If more than six children are scheduled to travel alone, we will arrange a trained and fully qualified 'Flying Guardian' to accompany them," said a Cathay Pacific spokesman.

Healthy newborn infants can travel after the first week of delivery on Cathay.

All three airlines provide brightly packaged children's meals - either for younger tots or older children, which should be ordered in advance when buying the tickets. They also have a limited emergency supply of nappies and will wash and heat bottles for formula, but do not supply the formula. While Ms Phillips has found her children will sleep in their clothes after the meal, other suggest using pyjamas so they understand it's bedtime, even if the routine has been changed.

On ascent and descent when your ears are likely to pop, airlines suggest either bottle feeding or breastfeeding for babies, as the swallowing alleviates pressure on the ears. For older children and adults, sucking on a boiled sweet or chewing on a toffee will have the same effect.

While motion sickness in young children occurs more when driving, be prepared on the flight - just in case. Take the child to the bathroom, or have the sick bag or a larger bag ready. Have a cooling towel to wipe their face and then make the child comfortable. Bring a spare set of clothes, so that if necessary the child can change and feel clean and comfortable.

All major airlines provide free children's packs with colouring pens and other activities to entertain them on the flight, but it might be worth bringing a few additional toys. Cathay Pacific offers a colourful backpack for children aged between two and 12. Inside the pack, which they can take home, are goodies including stationary, games and activity books. Cathay also has a new Disney Pack.

Ms Phillips often changes her children's clothes before arrival in Australia. "When they're meeting the grandparents, you want them looking good and not with a load of juice down their fronts," she laughed.

Hactl announces new partnership with Star Airlines – Macedonia
HACTL Press Release

(13 November 2008, Hong Kong) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) is pleased to announce that Star Airlines – Macedonia, a cargo carrier based in Skopje, the capital of Republic of Macedonia, has appointed Hactl as its total solution cargo service provider at Hong Kong International Airport.

Star Airlines – Macedonia launched its inaugural flight to Hong Kong on 9 November, commencing its once weekly chartered service between Istanbul, Almaty, Hong Kong, Sharjah, and Lagos. Hactl is pleased to support the carrier by providing one-stop-shop ground handling service including physical cargo handling, ramp handling as well as cargo documentation handling.

Ms Lilian Chan, General Manager, Marketing and Customer Service of Hactl said, "We are very delighted to welcome Star Airlines – Macedonia as our new customer, and we congratulate the carrier on the launch of its new scheduled freighter service to Hong Kong. By choosing our service, we are sure that Star Airlines – Macedonia will enjoy the most professional, efficient, reliable and secured cargo handling services. We keenly look forward to our blossoming partnership, and are dedicated to continuously support the airline’s growth and expansion."

Mr Kani Kurtulus, Chief Executive Officer of Star Airlines – Macedonia said, “We are excited to launch our scheduled charter service to Hong Kong with our B747-200F aircraft. We are happy to partner with Hactl, a world-class cargo terminal operator with reliable and quality service that would definitely add value to our business and support our future expansion. I truly look forward to a long-term and successful business relationship with Hactl. ”

港龍推每周五班往返馬尼拉航線，指長遠對旅遊業前景仍充滿信心
14 November 2008
經濟通新聞

國泰航空（００２９３）旗下港龍航空表示，將由１２月１５日起推出每周五班來往菲律賓馬尼拉航班服務。

港龍航空表示，往來菲律賓與香港之間的交通及需求持續增長，新航將有助兩地商貿活動發展，並指雖然近期出現金融危機，但仍對旅遊業的長遠前景充滿信心。

Passengers, cargo traffic continue to decline in October
Press Release

(HONG KONG, 16 November 2008) – Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) handled 4.1 million passengers and 320,000 tonnes of cargo in October 2008, a 1.4% and 9.2% reduction, respectively, from the same month last year. Air traffic movements grew 1.0% to 26,035.

October saw declines in visitor traffic particularly from the Mainland, SE Asia, North America and Europe, while transfer/ transit passengers showed a moderate increase compared to the same month last year. Cargo traffic showed an across-the-board drop with import/ export figures decreasing more than 10%. Transshipment recorded a relatively mild decrease.

Stanley Hui Hon-chung, Chief Executive Officer of the Airport Authority, said, “The global financial turmoil is biting deeper into world economies while business and trade activities are appreciably slowing down. These conditions have contributed to the continuous decline in passenger and cargo traffic that began in August. Given the current market environment, we have revised our traffic forecast for calendar year 2008 with passenger throughput and aircraft movements still expected to see marginal increases while cargo traffic will likely register negative growth.

“Contraction in air cargo volume is particularly prominent,” Mr Hui added. “Global demand for Asian/ Mainland Chinese products have dwindled substantially because of the worsening economies of major trading partners like the US and Europe. As a result, trading activities between Asia and the rest of the world are rapidly slowing down, which has had an unavoidable impact on HK’s air cargo business.”

Air traffic figures for the first 10 months of this year recorded moderate growth over the same period in 2007. Passenger volume rose 3.2% to 40.7 million, while cargo throughput and air traffic movements grew 1.6% and 2.9% to 3.1 million tonnes and 251,720 movements, respectively.

On a rolling 12-month basis ending 31 October 2008, HKIA served a total of 49 million passengers, 3.8 million tonnes of cargo and 302,460 aircraft movements. These figures represent year-on-year increases of 4.2%, 2.4% and 3.4%, respectively.

港龍推每周五班往返馬尼拉航線，指長遠對旅遊業前景仍充滿信心
14 November 2008
經濟通新聞

國泰航空（００２９３）旗下港龍航空表示，將由１２月１５日起推出每周五班來往菲律賓馬尼拉航班服務。

港龍航空表示，往來菲律賓與香港之間的交通及需求持續增長，新航將有助兩地商貿活動發展，並指雖然近期出現金融危機，但仍對旅遊業的長遠前景充滿信心。

Dragonair to Launch New Service to Manila in December
14 November 2008
Press Release

(Hong Kong) Dragonair today announced that it will launch a new service to Manila, the capital and economic hub of the Philippines and a popular destination for both business and leisure travellers from Hong Kong.

The new service will commence on December 15, 2008 with a five-times-weekly flight operated by an A320 aircraft. The launch of the destination will offer new opportunities for people travelling between Hong Kong and the Philippines.

“We are excited to announce our entry into the Philippines market to offer a wider choice of options for travellers. Traffic flow and demand between Manila and Hong Kong continues to grow and the new service will be a significant boon in terms of business and trading activities between Hong Kong and the Philippines,” said Dragonair Chief Executive Officer Kenny Tang.

“The new addition reinforces Dragonair’s long-term commitment to build on our network not only in our core Mainland market but also in Asia. Despite the current financial crisis, we are confident in the long-term prospect of the travel industry. We believe that the Manila service will perform well and will play an important role in our business in the years to come.”

More surcharge relief from giants
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, November 20, 2008

Two of Asia's largest airlines, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, plan to lower their fuel surcharges from next month.

The two airlines, along with Nepal Airlines, yesterday sought permission from the Civil Aviation Department, which is expected to announce details this week or early next week.

It is the second time in a month Cathay is seeking a reduction in the surcharge, which was imposed 16 months ago when the price of crude oil started skyrocketing, reaching a record US$147.27 (HK$1,148.70) a barrel in July.

In recent weeks oil prices have plunged below US$50 a barrel.

A CAD spokeswoman refused to disclose the level of the latest adjustments, saying the requests are still being processed.

On October 1, six airlines, including Cathay, reduced the surcharge for short-haul flights by 10 percent - to HK$196 - and long-haul flights by 15 percent - to HK$832.

Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung said the last reduction did not reflect the actual drop in fuel prices. A more accurate measure would be to halve the surcharge, he said.

Sunflower Travel assistant general manager Anthony Chan Hung-cheong said although it will be impossible at this stage to ax fuel surcharges completely, any reduction is good news for the industry.

"Only half the Christmas tours have been filled so far, with the exception of tours to South Korea, which are 90 percent full," Chan said.

He said tour groups are filling up much slower compared with the same time last year, when tours were 70 percent full.

An average eight-day tour to Europe costs about HK$10,000 per person, but the traveler will have to pay an additional HK$3,000 to cover the fuel surcharge and airport taxes.

Tourism-sector lawmaker Paul Tse Wai- chun said the reduction of the fuel surcharge should have a positive effect on travel sentiment, but the size of the impact is unclear.

Huge Asian holiday airlift
Charters to fly in 6500 people as package kicks in
21 November 2008
The Cairns Post

FIVE Asian airline charters will bring 6500 tourists to Cairns early next year as a result of the Federal Government's tourism rescue package.

Federal Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson said the passengers - more than half of them from western Japan - had been wooed via a marketing campaign backed by $750,000 from the $4 million package.

The money was the first instalment of the rescue package and Mr Ferguson would fly into Cairns from Tokyo today to announce further initiatives relating to the tourism industry. The new flights will include three charters to be operated by SkyAirWorld, which is supported by several Cairns businesses keen to ensure the Japanese market is not neglected following the Qantas cutbacks that come into force next month.

They will operate from Nagoya during the Golden Week holiday in Japan in April and May.

Mr Ferguson said it was hoped the Federal Government's help would drive sales by travel agents in Japan and lead to regular charters from western Japan, a market that would be left empty when Jetstar picked up the Tokyo-Cairns route.

The other charters would bring passengers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China during the Chinese New Year.

Mr Ferguson said China Airlines - Taiwan's largest airline - had responded positively to Tourism Australia's proposal for the Chinese New Year charters.

"More seasonal charters, as well as longer-term regular flights, could be considered if the charter series is successful," Mr Ferguson said.

TTNQ chief executive Rob Giason said the charter announcements were "extremely positive and we have to acknowledge that without doubt the Federal Government's backing helped get them across the line".

With $640,000 of the rescue package committed for research into emerging markets such as China and India, Mr Giason said it was hoped Mr Ferguson would announce immediate release of the remaining money to be spent now to stimulate the industry.

Clipping our wings
22 November 2008
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong's status as a premier aviation hub is facing huge challenges and we have to act quickly to bolster our position, lest we lose a major competitive advantage. In a recent speech, Cathay Pacific chief executive Tony Tyler said that one of the biggest issues was with our infrastructure: the Hong Kong International Airport suffers from insufficient runway slot capacity.

The Civil Aviation Department is planning to gradually increase takeoffs and landings on the two existing runways from 54 to 68 per hour by 2015. But, even then, capacity will fall short of long-term requirements. A third runway is urgently needed.

This issue has been discussed before in this column. No doubt, the government should immediately start a feasibility study for a third runway. Increasing the capacity on existing runways is equally important. But the real bottleneck is not congested airspace over the Pearl River Delta, as described by Mr Tyler.

The real problem is the shortage of air traffic controllers, which makes it impossible to maximise the slot capacity. I have pointed out before that the director general of Civil Aviation, Norman Lo Shung-man, has been managing the airport's traffic in a very conservative way. His tunnel vision and bureaucratic mindset have prevented the department from recruiting controllers from outside Hong Kong to meet needs.

A technocrat's only guiding principle is to avoid mistakes. As the logic goes, the less one does, the less likely one commits mistakes. A technocrat would not understand the importance of runway capacity to Hong Kong's status as a hub and its whole economy. The shortage has reached a critical point and further delay in boosting manpower may even put safety at risk.

Indeed, air traffic controllers are harbouring a lot of grudges about their workload, and their union has completely lost confidence in the department. For a prolonged period, many controllers have been deferring their leave and working overtime. Sooner or later, some will crack under the pressure or because of fatigue. Mr Lo always uses safety as the reason to resist enhancing capacity. But he is contradicting himself by overworking his staff.

Nurturing local talent is, of course, the long-term solution to manpower shortage, but that won't help relieve problems in the short term. The department keeps reminding us that it takes four years to train a controller. But it takes another 10 years for a controller to mature into a senior professional. In such cases, the department should recruit overseas right away.

The recession provides a good opportunity for Hong Kong to recruit first-rate, experienced controllers. We let this opportunity pass at our own peril and, if we fail, we will only have our mediocre bureaucrats to blame.

I agree with Mr Tyler that it is critical for the well-being and sustainability of our hub status that liberalisation is pursued carefully, and that we don't trade away our "fifth freedom" rights - the right of an airline to pick up passengers from one foreign territory and fly them to another foreign territory - for anything less than equal value. The priority of the government's policy should be protecting the interests of Hong Kong's own airlines.

As Mr Tyler puts it, a strong home carrier with an extensive network of routes is essential to our hub status. Indeed, after 1997, Cathay Pacific has become a genuine Hong Kong-based home carrier, offering excellent connectivity for passengers. Cathay is even willing to operate less profitable routes, which testifies to its commitment as a home carrier.

Air traffic rights are negotiated between governments. If our government gives away the precious fifth freedom rights for nothing, our home carrier will be at a huge disadvantage, and a likely scenario is the emergence of unhealthy competition between airlines for business on the busy routes.

Our aviation hub status is one of our major bulwarks against the emerging global recession. It is far too important to be ruined in the hands of incompetent bureaucrats.

Albert Cheng King-hon is a political commentator

Airport set to expand despite economic crisis
24 November 2008
South China Morning Post

The government is determined to press ahead with expansion of the airport - including a third terminal and third runway - in the next five years, despite a continuous decline in air traffic since the start of the financial meltdown.

He also said that the third terminal and runway were among projects to be finalised in the next five to six years, under the plans.

Passenger numbers and cargo volume at the airport have been declining since August.

Cargo fell 7.5 per cent year on year in September and 9.2 per cent last month, while passenger numbers shrank 4.7 per cent and 1.4 per cent.

International cargo terminal operator Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals also announced this month that it handled only 222,166 tonnes of cargo in October, a year-on-year drop of 9.8 per cent.

The Airport Authority blamed the global financial crisis for the reduction in visitors, imports, exports and transshipments.

But the source said the temporary decline would not stop the government from expanding the airport to maintain its regional advantage.

Apart from the much-discussed third runway, key plans under study include building a third terminal and further developing the middle field area of the airport.

The building of new cargo handling and airline catering facilities was also being considered, the source said.

The existing master plan, to 2020, proposes increasing the number of aircraft gates by building an elongated "X" shaped midfield concourse that would provide 49 so-called frontal-parking stands - those connected by air bridge to the concourse - and 10 remote or unconnected stands.

"Critical mass is what counts in aviation," the source said. "We have to keep the traffic level in order to secure the airport's regional hub status.

"We are talking about long-term planning, otherwise people will pull out their business to other airports in Zhuhai or Shenzhen."

Hung Wing-tat, transport expert and associate professor of civil and structural engineering at Polytechnic University, said the airport's development plan should not be shelved because of the financial turmoil.

"Hong Kong is expected to recover more quickly, given its close relation with the mainland's strong economy," he said.

Law Cheung-kwok, associate director of the Aviation Policy and Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the scale and pace of future airport developments, such as a new terminal and additional gates, would largely be driven by demand.

A spokeswoman for the Airport Authority said that while the operating environment for the rest of the year would continue to be difficult, plans and projects to equip the airport for growth would proceed.

HK Gov't Press Release:
Airline passenger fuel surcharges adjusted (http://info.gov.hk/gia/general/200811/24/P200811240225.htm)

Tour trade eyes flight bonanza on fuel levy cut
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The tourism industry is hoping the decision of four airlines to slash fuel surcharges will boost Christmas and Lunar New Year travel.

The Civil Aviation Department yesterday approved applications by Cathay Pacific, ANA, Singapore Airlines and Nepal Airlines to reduce short-haul fuel surcharges by 45 percent, and long-haul routes by 40 percent.

Short-haul levies will drop to HK$108 each way from HK$196, and long-haul surcharges will fall to HK$499 from HK$832.

The new levy will be effective for two months starting on December 1.

A spokesman for Cathay Pacific said the reduced surcharges will help make air travel and overseas holidays more affordable.

But the airline stressed fuel costs continue to account for about half the operating costs this year. The surcharges offset less than half the increased cost of fuel.

Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung said the adjustment reflected the falling international oil prices. He said the cuts should stimulate people's desire to travel and encourage more to go on long-haul vacations for Christmas.

The reduction in fuel surcharges should also trim expected falls in the volume of passengers handled by travel agencies this year by 2 to 3 percent from the originally predicted 5 to 10 percent when compared with last year, Tung said.

Sunflower Travel Service assistant general manager Anthony Chan Hung- cheong said the reduction was "very good news" as Christmas and Lunar New Year sales were slow.

The agency now expects patronage in December to increase by 10 to 15 percent from the 20,000 customers previously predicted.

He also hopes customers will spend the money saved on joining more luxurious tours, though he was not optimistic about the sale of Lunar New Year tours.

The last time fuel surcharges were adjusted was on October 1 when six airlines, including Cathay, reduced short- haul surcharges by 10 percent and long- haul flights by 15 percent.

Airline under fire over sackings
25 November 2008
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong Airlines is firing employees it accuses of unsatisfactory performance but is refusing to supply evidence to back its claims, former workers say.

The Confederation of Trade Unions said former Hong Kong Airlines flight attendants sought union help after 40 employees had been fired.

The company had fired one to three employees nearly every day this month, a former flight attendant said.

"The airline company has been sacking flight attendants in the past few months, saying these employees' performance has been unsatisfactory," one of the former flight attendants, identified only as Ms Lau and who appeared masked at a union press conference, said yesterday. "When the workers asked the airline company to provide evidence to prove their work performance had not been up to standard, the company failed to do so."

Ms Lau, who worked for the airline for more than two years, was laid off on November 14.

"The affected employees now have a hard time finding jobs, as their records don't look good with the company stating they were sacked due to poor performance," she said.

"As far as we know about 20 pilots and 20 flight attendants have been sacked. Of the 11 former Oasis employees the company recruited in May, nine were sacked, leaving one pregnant employee and another one who earlier was injured at work remaining," Ms Lau said.

Repeated attempts to contact Hong Kong Airlines were unsuccessful. However, Ng To-wing, for the company, told Cable TV in a phone interview yesterday that Hong Kong Airlines needed to cut down manpower, as business had dropped by 10 to 15 per cent with the economic downturn and because of a seasonal business low.

Mr Ng said it was also difficult to say if there would be further lay-offs at this stage and the company would make a decision depending on market conditions.

Chan Po-choi, general secretary of the Staff and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines, said his union had received similar complaints. He said the employees were in fear now, as they were worried that they might lose their jobs.

I suppose the third runway they are talking about all the time would be built north of the two existing ones on newly reclaimed land?

From news.gov.hk:
Airport Authority revenue up 7.9% (http://news.gov.hk/en/category/businessandfinance/081125/html/081125en03005.htm)

UPS increases Hong Kong - Europe capacity with B747-400 flights
26 November 2008
CEP Research

UPS has increased airlift capacity between Hong Kong and its European hub at Cologne/Bonn with the introduction of its first B747-400 freighter on the route. The move is part of the ongoing build-up of a 14-strong B747-400 intercontinental fleet.

UPS Europe executives officially presented the new B747-400 freighter at a ceremony with Cologne airport officials on Monday (November 24). The B747-400F, operating five times a week, has airlift capacity for up to 120 tonnes, with 30 main-deck container positions and lower-deck space for 32 smaller containers. It can fly up to 8,000km.

“This aircraft is replacing an MD-11 freighter in our European air fleet,” said Wolfgang Flick, president of UPS Europe. “The double-digit growth in our export volumes from Europe has prompted us to use planes such as this one - large planes that can transport many goods over long distances.”

The 747-400 is the first freighter in the UPS fleet with a hinged nose. This nose-loading capability is ideal for air freight, allowing for extra large or extra long shipments, UPS pointed out. The aircraft also features latest flight technology, including a ‘Health Management’ system to diagnose problems in-flight and a system giving pilots better surveillance of nearby aircraft.

As part of an on-going effort to accommodate strong international volume growth, UPS is purchasing eight new and six other Boeing 747-400 freighters for use on global trunk routes between North America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The first new B747-400F was delivered in July 2007 and initially put into operation on routes between the USA and Asia.

UPS Airlines now has eight new B747-400 freighters delivered during 2007 and 2008 in operation, while a ninth aircraft acquired from EVA Airlines is under conversion from passenger configuration. It is scheduled to take delivery in December of another EVA Airlines B747 passenger plane for conversion, and then four Cargolux 747-400 freighters during 2009 and 2010 (two each year).

In all, UPS Airlines, the world’s ninth largest airline, currently has 265 aircraft and a further 32 on order. The intercontinental fleet includes 38 MD-11s, 11 B747-100s and -200s, 32 B767s and the B747-400s.

I suppose the third runway they are talking about all the time would be built north of the two existing ones on newly reclaimed land?

Yes, that's right. They can't reclaim on the south side.

More stranded Hong Kong travelers back home from Thailand on special flights

HONG KONG, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Cathay Pacific special flight from Thailand landed at the Hong Kong International Airport on Sunday evening, taking home over 380 Hong Kong travelers that have been stranded in Thailand over the past days.

It was the third special flight mounted by Cathay Pacific in as many days, each with a capacity for 385 passengers, a spokeswoman for the airline told Xinhua.

Authorities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ( HKSAR) have managed to secure six special flights on Friday and Saturday to bring home over 1,100 residents from Bangkok, where airports have been paralyzed by anti-government demonstrations.

About 600 Hong Kong residents were still estimated to be trapped in Bangkok, including many individual travelers who found it hard to get tickets for the special flights, the Security Bureau of the HKSAR government said.

The special flight run by Cathay Pacific arrived in Hong Kong at around 08:30 p.m. local time, some three hours later than what has been previously planned.

Cathay Pacific said the delay was not unexpected as the Utapao Airport, a military airport that lies over 100 km south of Bangkok, was crowded with flights.

Dragonair, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific, also managed to make arrangements for a special flight Sunday taking Hong Kong travelers home from Phuket of Thailand.

Cathay Pacific said it will run another special flight on Monday, and possibly on Tuesday as well if confirmation was acquired from Utapao Airport.

The Airport Authority of Hong Kong said there were a total of three special flights from Thailand, including the Cathay Pacific flight and the Dragonair one.

The HKSAR government has been sparing no efforts to try and secure confirmation for flights from the Thai authorities, and staff the Immigration Department were also in Thailand provided assistance to Hong Kong residents in need, said Ngai Wing-chit, deputy secretary for security of the HKSAR government, at a press conference.

Hopefully most of the stranded travelers will be back within a few days, he said.

Ngai said that Utapao Airport was a military air base with very limited capacity, and that the most pressing task in hand was to secure more flights.

Plane serviced in HK before flight aborted
30 November 2008
South China Morning Post

A Qantas airliner forced to land with an engine fault two days ago had been serviced in Hong Kong last week, a spokeswoman for the servicing company confirmed yesterday.

Aviation sources told The Sydney Morning Herald that the engine starter motor of the Airbus A330 sheared off because no oil had been put into the motor after its overhaul.

David Cox, the executive general manager of Qantas Engineering, said: "Initial inspections by engineers indicate that the fault with the engine starter motor could have led to the engine oil problem."

The airliner, carrying 168 passengers bound for Singapore, had to return to Perth after an engine oil warning flashed in the cockpit and the flight crew shut down the problem engine. A replacement airliner took off after a near-five-hour delay.

The Airbus received a four-day routine check at the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (Haeco) base at Chek Lap Kok airport, a Haeco spokeswoman said.

It was a "basic servicing but not a heavy check", she said, and the aircraft had passed an inspection before being returned to Qantas.

A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in Australia, Peter Gibson, confirmed that the malfunction had originated in the starter motor and that the oil supply was being looked at.

"CASA has been kept fully informed of the incident by Qantas and will be closely monitoring Qantas' investigation of the event," he said.

The Haeco spokeswoman said the company had contacted Qantas, which had given it no details of the incident.

HK's government arranges more flights to help tourists in Thailand
2 December 2008
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong's government has arranged two more chartered flights on Tuesday to pick up visitors stranded in Thailand after a major airport in Bangkok was shut down by anti-government protesters.

The two Hong Kong Express flights were scheduled to pick up passengers at the U-Tapao military airstrip near Pattaya, about a two-hour drive from Bangkok, a spokeswoman for the Security Bureau told AFP. One had left the airport around noon local time (0500 GMT) and the other one will depart at 9pm local time (1400 GMT) today.

"It is very hard to tell how many Hong Kong visitors are still stranded in Bangkok. But we believe there are about a few hundreds of them," she said.

Up to 0600 GMT, the government has received 913 requests for assistance from Hong Kong residents stranded in Thailand and another 1,879 related enquiries, she said.

On Monday, the government arranged its first two chartered flights to help Hong Kong visitors in Bangkok.

Demonstrators have allowed dozens of empty planes stranded at the airport to leave in the past two days.

HK government urged to organise transport for stranded travellers
3 December 2008
South China Morning Post

Travellers returning from Thailand have urged the government to provide transport to take tourists stranded in Bangkok to airports.

Risk management consultant Bernard Lui Wing-in, who planned to return home on Saturday but was not able to catch a flight until early on Monday morning, yesterday recalled a nightmare 10-hour trip from Bangkok to Phuket.

"We got on to a minibus at 8pm and arrived in Phuket at 6am," he said. "The road was very dark, with no lights at all. All drivers on the road were driving very fast, rushing to the airport."

There were six people in the minibus, including the driver and four of Mr Lui's colleagues. Mr Lui and his colleagues had no choice other than rushing to the resort island to catch a flight home.

"There were no safety belts on the minibus," he said. "We were all worried and took turns to sleep, so that at least one of us was staying alert."

Passengers were asked to pay about HK$450 for the trip.

"We arrived at the airline office in Bangkok and there we got on a minibus taking us to the airport," he said. "But we did not know who arranged the minibus for us."

He urged the government to consider providing transport for residents stranded in Bangkok to the airports in Phuket or Pattaya.

Press Release Details
Hactl awarded the Hong Kong Logistics Award for Enterprise In Logistics Awards Hong Kong 2008

(28 November 2008, Hong Kong) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) is pleased to announce that the Company has been awarded the Hong Kong Logistics Award for Enterprise in the Logistics Awards Hong Kong (LAHK) 2008 jointly organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Hong Kong Logistics Development Council, the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport in Hong Kong (CILTHK), the Hongkong Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics, the Hong Kong Logistics Association and the Hong Kong Productivity Council.

The fourth year since its inauguration, the Logistics Awards Hong Kong is a premier industry-wide event of the territory. Among the award categories, the Hong Kong Logistics Award for Enterprise is the most challenging, as it commands an all-rounded superiority in all the following key measurement areas:

* Leadership with Well-defined Business Strategy and Clear Management Processes;
* Proven Results in Quality & Cost Management and Customer Service;
* Business Results and Outstanding Operational KPI;
* Service Profile;
* Contribution to Industry and Society.

The Award recognises the significant contributions of Hactl to the logistics industry, its world-class infrastructure and facility, and its excellent service with high-standard of security and safety, reaffirming Hong Kong’s position as the leading air transportation hub around the globe.

Mr Anthony Wong, Managing Director of Hactl received the Award from Professor Wong Sze-chun, President of CILTHK, at the Award Presentation Ceremony held on 27 November at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“It is our honour to have received the prestigious Hong Kong Logistics Awards for Enterprise this year. The Award is another testimony to our constant pursuit of excellence, enabling us to stay always at the forefront of the industry. We thank all our staff for their commitment to go beyond the miles to sustain Hactl’s excellent service, and we thank our valuable customers and business counterparts for their support and successful partnerships. We shall continue to excel in our service, facing up to all challenges as well as sharing the fruits ahead together with the whole industry,” said Mr Anthony Wong, Managing Director of Hactl.

DHL sees 15pc drop in air cargo, flat ocean freight in region
4 December 2008
South China Morning Post

The market for air freight out of the Asia-Pacific is expected to drop 10 to 15 per cent in the first half of next year, while ocean freight out of the region will see zero year-on-year growth, says Herman Ude, the chief executive of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight.

His predictions were based on feedback from customers of DHL, the world's biggest company in air and ocean freight.

Hong Kong, the north Asia-Pacific headquarters of the German giant, would see a similar performance in air and ocean freight in the first half of next year, said Kelvin Leung, the company's chief executive for the north Asia-Pacific region.

"Why this enormous dip in the first quarter next year? There will be a lot of stuff on the shelves [of European and US shops], which will be sold in the first quarter [because it would not be sold by Christmas]," said Mr Ude.

The freight slowdown would drive consolidation in Hong Kong's logistics industry, where there are hundreds of such companies, he said.

Freight out of Asia-Pacific might pick up around the middle of next year, but that is not certain, he added.

If the situation "becomes much worse" in the middle of next year, DHL might have to prolong its current global hiring freeze, he said.

DHL, a division of Deutsche Post World Net, has 40,000 employees worldwide, including 3,400 in Hong Kong and 3,700 on the mainland.

Commenting on Mr Ude's predictions about Asia-Pacific freight, Willy Lin Sun-mo, chairman of the Hong Kong Shippers' Council, said: "Some forecasts are even worse than that. It's a matter of how bad the global economy might get. We see lots of markets slowing down. The global recession is here."

However, he added: "I don't see a major crisis hitting Hong Kong's logistics industry yet, in terms of major lay-offs. Hong Kong's logistics sector has always been lean and mean."

Despite the global hiring freeze, Mr Leung said DHL was hiring about three dozen people in Hong Kong for its north Asia-Pacific headquarters, which it moved from Singapore in June.

"Hong Kong is no longer a place for only blue-collar workers but a hub for global trade. Having a head office for a large piece of the business is of more importance than a small addition of headcount," said Mr Ude.

DHL opened offices in nine third-tier mainland cities this year and planned to open offices in six more cities next year, he said. "We will do better than the industry. With the decline in existing business, we will go for new customers with better services and new ideas on how to improve the supply chain."

The company expects its Asia-Pacific ocean freight business to grow nearly 25 per cent this year.

Charter flights return with 70pc of their seats empty
First four planes bring back only 212 travellers from Thailand
3 December 2008
South China Morning Post

The first four government-chartered flights have brought back just 212 Hong Kong people stranded in Thailand, while 70 per cent of the seats were empty.

Only 41 people registered with the Hong Kong authorities to board the fourth flight, arrived early this morning.

Officials said they had already liaised with Cathay Pacific to reserve some seats for people who were not booked to fly with the airline.

Passengers on the two charter flights that landed in Hong Kong yesterday blamed the government for poor communication with travellers, saying that messages were spread only hours before the flights took off.

Stranded traveller Mrs Cheung, who boarded one of the first two charter flights from U-Tapao military airfield near Pattaya with her husband and two children on Monday night, said she only heard about the flight from friends in Hong Kong.

"Nobody told us the details of the flights and I knew many stranded visitors had no ideas of the charter flights," she said.

Passenger Mr Luk said the charter flight arrangement on Monday was too rushed. "I received a text message in Bangkok from the Hong Kong government at about 4pm [on Monday], saying a charter flight would depart at 7pm in Pattaya," he said. "There was not enough time for us to arrange the transportation."

He said about 100 people had registered for the flight, which had a capacity of 380, but only about 70 turned up to board the plane.

An afternoon charter flight yesterday arranged by Hongkong Express was only two-thirds full.

Passenger Ms Chan, who landed in Hong Kong yesterday afternoon, said: "The situation there is very chaotic. The telephone lines of airlines are all jammed and we had to ask my relatives in Hong Kong to give us the latest updates on the flights."

Non-Hong Kong residents were also able to board the flights but were charged the higher rate of about HK$3,500. Local residents boarded the charter flights for HK$1,100.

Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong told the Legco security panel the first three government charter flights had offered about 700 seats for local residents, while about 190 passengers had registered.

Only 41 passengers had registered for the fourth charter flight when he spoke. The plane left Pattaya at 9pm Thai time (10pm Hong Kong time).

A Security Bureau spokesman said last night the Immigration Department had received calls for help from 939 Hong Kong residents by 9pm. Of these, 872 people had returned to the city or were due to return yesterday, while 42 people said they would make their own travel arrangements. The spokesman said a decision would be made today on whether more charter flights would be provided.

Enter the Dragonair to identify high-flyers
29 November 2008
South China Morning Post

Dragonair has taken the lead in establishing a grassroots programme aimed at developing safety-conscious aviation professionals in a region where the industry is one of the economic cornerstones. The Aviation Certificate Programme was founded in 2005 by the airline and the Hong Kong Air Cadets Corps.

The scheme helps to fill an important community void by identifying and nurturing individuals who show keen interest in the aviation industry at a young age.

"The primary goal is to inspire a new generation of aviation professionals, not just pilots. This comprehensive eight-month mentorship programme introduces them to every aspect of planning and executing a safe, efficient flight by presenting them with the entire view of operations and how all the various divisions and organisations work together, making every function essential," said Dragonair Captain Marcus De Santis, who was instrumental in founding the programme and still helps to manage it.

The selection of the Hong Kong Air Cadets Corps as a partner was a natural one, given the group's focused and disciplined expertise in aviation. The programme includes training sessions, briefings and tours backed by bodies such as the Civil Aviation Department, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company, Hong Kong International Airport Services, the Airport Meteorological Office of the Hong Kong Observatory, the Aviation Security Company and the Government Flying Service.

The commitment and passion exhibited by all of the participating organisations are the heart and soul of the programme, giving it unparalleled breadth and scope. The programme itself is rigorous and designed to nurture a profound, caring seriousness about the industry, given the magnitude of the safety implications of every flight.

As such, the intensive selection process is devised in a way that only the most outstanding and dedicated of cadets are able to enrol. Each year, about 10 cadets are selected for the programme, going on to experience a richly laden, all-inclusive course.

"We start off by matching up a volunteer Dragonair captain, who will act as a mentor and confidant, with each cadet. The pairing-up process itself is very important, as we want them to establish a powerful rapport that is interactive and engaging," said Captain De Santis.

During the eight-month course, significant time is spent on each link of the operational chain of a flight, including training and briefings at the participating organisations. To highlight the importance of how all divisions work together to ensure a safe flight, each cadet will also be able to experience a jump-seat observation flight with their mentor captain.

The final evaluation determines one of two types of rankings given with the aviation certificate, which can be included in their résumés. The first one is for cadets who have passed the programme satisfactorily and the second is for those who were exceptional throughout the entire course. These exceptional cadets will also receive a personal recommendation letter from Dragonair. This helps to fast-track the interviewing process with prospective employers but, of course, entrance prerequisites must still be met.

"A number of graduates from previous programmes are already building their careers in the aviation industry, including cadet pilots. However, without the commitment and passion from our volunteer members and contributing organisations, the success we've enjoyed with the programme would not be possible. We firmly believe that the greatest investment that pays the most return is in our youth," said Captain De Santis.

May Lam-Kobayashi, head of corporate communications for Dragonair, said the airline's corporate social responsibility programmes covered four areas: education, environment, support of arts and culture, and active involvement in medical and relief efforts throughout the world.

"The Aviation Certificate Programme is one of our flagship CSR initiatives," she added.

Two notable examples of Dragonair's community and social impact include contributing more than 210 free airline tickets and shipping more than 51 tonnes of relief supplies free of charge for the Sichuan earthquake appeal and the in-flight charity fundraising initiative for the Change for Conservation programme, which reached HK$6 million in November last year.

There is a corporate social responsibility article for the HR Trends column on the last Saturday of each month

Airport link won't drop riders before border
8 December 2008
South China Morning Post

Air transit passengers who board the Hong Kong-Shenzhen airport express rail link from Chek Lap Kok airport will not be allowed to leave the train before it crosses the border, even if there is a stop before it leaves Hong Kong.

Bauhinia Foundation senior researcher Zhu Wenhui said the ban was a security measure because passengers who had not completed clearance procedures into Hong Kong needed to be separated from those joining the train in the middle of the journey.

But transport analyst Hung Wing-tat said such an arrangement would have security implications.

"It sounds chaotic to me, mixing a group of passengers without clearance into Hong Kong with another group who check in from the city," Professor Hung said.

"They said transit passengers would not be allowed to get off, but as long as the train is not moving, someone could always find a way out, such as smashing the windows."

But a government source said that was unlikely. "If we are to build a middle stop, there will be customs and immigration facilities there, which means [the platform] is a restricted area," the source said.

"I don't think any passenger can just smash the window and leave."

The source said the link was designed for transit passengers to access Shenzhen airport, so there was no need for them to get off before arriving there.

Dr Zhu said there were overseas examples of similar arrangements, with an inter-city train between Belgium and Switzerland allowing passengers to board in France but preventing those already on board from leaving.

Having a stop between the airports would increase the travelling time, but the government source said that this would add no more than three minutes to the journey.

"Our aim is still to achieve a journey time of about 20 minutes," the source said.

Dr Zhu said that once a certain passenger level was reached, express trains that would not stop could be included in the timetable.

兩航空公司停飛曼谷
5 December 2008,

【太陽報專訊】泰國曼谷國際機場解封後，已逐步恢復運作，但本港往曼谷的客量急跌，泰國東方及香港快運航空遂決定暫停飛往曼谷的航班，直至本月二十一日及二十四日才重開。

香港快運總經理吳惠芬說，公司乘客以旅行團為主，目前曼谷線需求少，暫定本月二十四日至下月初，才恢復有限服務，班次由原來每星期七班減至四班。明年一月至三月，會增至每星期六班。至於泰國東方航空稱，現只接受預訂本月二十一日或以後的機位。而國泰航空宣布復飛曼谷航線，今明各安排四班香港往曼谷及三班曼谷返港的航班。至於國泰原定今日來往香港與芭堤雅烏塔堡機場的額外航班，會改為往來曼谷。保安局發言人稱，自曼谷國際機場逐步重開，入境處再無收到港人求助。局方稱，自上月二十六日曼谷機場關閉以來，共接到九百六十九宗港人求助，當中九成多已返港或獲安排機位，其餘的是資料有誤，或求助人自行撤回個案。

Kingfisher to fly new global routes to meet winter deadline
livemint
9 December 2008

The country’s second largest carrier by passengers flown, Kingfisher Airlines Ltd will launch flights from Mumbai to London, Singapore and Hong Kong, and from Chennai and Bangalore to Sri Lanka in January, ending a freeze on new international operations.

The airline has been granted rights to fly these international routes by the civil aviation ministry on assurances that it would start the flights thiswinter.

Kingfisher Airlines had put new international operations on hold after launching its inaugural daily flight between Bangalore and London in September. The airline has since been battling a slump in domestic traffic and rising costs and has been preoccupied with defusing a payments row with state-run oil refiners and the Airports Authority of India.

In October, after forming an alliance with bigger rival Jet Airways (India) Ltd, Kingfisher Airlines requested the civil aviation ministry for permission to start flying on other international routes using three Airbus A330-223s that it had grou-nded. Two other A330-223s have been deployed on the Bangalore-London route.

The ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, or DGCA, asked the airline for assurances that it was capable of sustaining the flights, given the backdrop of payments it owed, said a senior government official who didn’t want to be named. Kingfisher Airlines received the go-ahead after making a presentation to the authorities in November. “We told them clearly that they cannot pull out domestic capacity (to serve international routes) and they have to show us that the flights will be (started) within the winter schedule,” the same government official said.

Under DGCA rules, if an airline does not run an international service for which it is granted rights within the immediate season, it is barred from that route for two years.

Based on the assurances Kingfisher Airlines held out, the government granted it the rights to offer seven flights a week from Mumbai to Singapore, Hong Kong and London. The airline was also allowed to offer seven flights a week between Chennai, Bangalore and Colombo, and also Bangalore-Bangkok and Mumbai-Male services.

Kingfisher Airlines officials were not available for comment on Monday.

The carrier also won permission to run 14 flights a week between Kolkata and Dhaka, the Bangladesh capital, on turboprop aircraft, and four services a week to the port city of Chittagong. The airline failed to win rights for flights between New Delhi and Dubai; it was granted Bangalore-Dubai flights earlier this year, which it is still to operate.

The airline will launch the Mumbai-London flight on 5 January, followed by Mumbai-Hong Kong on 12 January and Mumbai-Singapore on 16 January, according to a note circulated by the airline to travel portals, and seen by Mint.

Its flights from Chennai and Bangalore to Colombo, the Sri Lanka capital, will start on 19 January. The airline will use an A320 in an all-economy class configuration on the routes.

An analyst said while international traffic in January is generally strong, the residual impact from the Mumbai terror attacks may hurt thecarrier.

“Some of these routes are certainly well serviced. Mumbai-London, which has four other operators, will be particularly challenging. However, selecting routes that rely on point-to-point traffic can be risky unless they have been carefully researched and are supported by a comprehensive product and marketing strategy,” said Sydney-based Binit Somaia, regional director for the Indian subcontinent and Middle East at the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

“The selection of destinations such as London, Hong Kong and Singapore, which are major international hubs, allows for the development of traffic feed from a much broader range of markets, but it requires through fares to be offered to passengers in conjunction with other carriers,” Somaia added.

It is unclear if Jet Airways, which, too, runs a service on sectors such as Mumbai-London, will have a code-share arrangement with Kingfisher Airlines following the alliance between the two carriers. At that time, the two airlines said they would look at not duplicating flights and focus on measures including code sharing, network rationalization, joint fuel management and common ground handling.

An email sent to Kingfisher Airlines’ spokesman on 2 December seeking comment on the level of cooperation the alliance has achieved in the past one-and-a-half months remained unanswered.

港經滴急滑業界震驚國泰貨運收益 挫25%
10 December 2008
太陽報

【太陽報專訊】香港經濟的最壞時刻未過，包括出口、地產、餐飲及旅遊業等，全面受到金融海嘯的衝擊，其中本港出口顯著放緩，情況令業界震驚，業內人士指，在缺乏歐美買家下，經營環境較○三年「沙士」更嚴峻。國際貨幣基金組織（國基會）認為，未來數月本港經濟增長會顯著下降。國泰（00293）行政總裁湯彥麟周一指，目前經營環境甚為艱難，又以「very scary」形容現時的危機，難以預見困難環境何時完結。集團常務總裁史樂山於內部通訊指，截至十一月二十九日的一星期統計，周內貨運收益與○七年同期下跌25%，情況令人擔憂。國泰數據顯示，八月、九月及十月載運貨物分別錄得約14.05萬噸、14.15萬噸及14.44萬噸，同比下跌3.1%、7.3%及7.4%。

國際航空運輸協會（IATA）表示，由於燃料成本下降，抵銷載客量減少的影響，預估全球航空業明年虧損將縮減一半至25億美元（約195億港元）。據政府統計處公布，八月、九月及十月本港整體出口貨值出乎市場預期，分別按年上升1.9%、3.6%及9.4%。然而，貿發局助理首席經濟師潘永才預期，本港十一及十二月出口有機會錄得負增長。國基會最新發表對香港的檢討報告，預期香港未來數月經濟增長將顯著下跌，明年經濟增長也將顯著放緩至只有2%，失業率亦將持續攀升，而明年的消費物價通脹將會降至3%以下，但中期仍然看好本港前景，相信可達至每年平均5%的經濟增長，該會又重申支持聯繫匯率制度。

招商局明年放慢投資

內地的貿易情況轉差，來自金融海嘯的打擊正逐漸浮現，招商局國際（00144）主席兼董事總經理傅育寧表示，十一月全國出口仍然保持增長，但廣東省地區則出現下跌，他並預計明年上半年珠三角的出口將面臨較大壓力，故相信明年集團旗下港口吞吐量，將保持低增長速度或持平，故集團明年將放慢投資速度。

Transport deal won't hurt HK, says Taipei City will still be transit point, says official
12 December 2008
South China Morning Post

Taiwan's top mainland affairs official, Lai Shin-yuan, has played down the impact of direct cross-strait transport links on Hong Kong's economy, as the island's relations with the city have improved sharply this year.

"I don't think the impact will be that strong. So far, only 10 per cent of the number of passenger flights are being shifted to the weekend charters," said Dr Lai, chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council, in an interview with the South China Morning Post.

Hong Kong has long been a transit point for more than 5 million Taiwanese visitors going to and from the mainland annually, but this advantageous and lucrative position has been threatened following cross-strait rapprochement led by Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwanese president of the mainland-friendly Kuomintang.

Taipei and Beijing signed an agreement in June to operate 36 weekend charter flights and another deal to allow 3,000 mainland tourists a day to visit the island.

Last month they agreed to extend the number of flights to 108 a week, turning the weekend charters into daily charters. The sides also agreed to operate 60 direct cargo charters a month, and direct shipping, which must currently go by way of a third location, usually Okinawa.

The tourist industry and airlines in Hong Kong have expressed concern at the direct transport agreement set to be passed by the Taiwanese legislature today in order to become effective next Monday.

"Even with the direct daily flights, the impact on Hong Kong will not be as huge as thought, given a passenger occupancy volume of 5 million per year," Dr Lai said. This number amounts to around 500 flights a week, meaning the rest of the passengers will still have to go via Hong Kong after the demand of 108 direct flights a week is met, she said.

Hong Kong's acting secretary for transport and housing, Yau Shing-mu, has admitted that the transport agreements between the mainland and Taiwan would have an impact on traveller numbers.

But he has also pointed out that Hong Kong supports the implementation of cross-strait direct links, as stable and harmonious relations would "help to promote economic activities among the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong in the long run".

While Hong Kong is adjusting to fit in with the changes, Mr Yau said, the city's government was fully prepared to grasp the opportunities brought about by the improvement of cross-strait relations, including setting up a branch office of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in Taiwan to promote bilateral trade.

Dr Lai said the setting up of the branch office on December 5 in Taipei represented unprecedented cordial relations between Taiwan and Hong Kong, which has been cautious in dealing with the island since it reverted to mainland rule in 1997.

"There has also been an increase in the number of high-level contacts, including a recent meeting between Chiang Pin-kung and Donald Tsang in Hong Kong,' said Dr Lai, adding "these are good signs indicating improvement of Taiwan-Hong Kong relations".

Hong Kong's chief executive, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, met Mr Chiang, chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation, when he visited Hong Kong in July.

HK Airport Press Release:
Airport Puts Multimodal Transport Links to the Test at Annual Crash Exercise (http://hongkongairport.com/eng/media/press-releases/pr_945.html)

Passengers, cargo drop at Hong Kong airport in November
14 December 2008
Agence France Presse

http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/news/20081215/img/sn04121502_big.jpg

http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/news/20081215/img/a21215a_big.jpg

The volume of cargo handled at Hong Kong International Airport dropped 18.7 percent in November compared to the previous year, the latest sign of the reduced demand for exports, officials said.

The airport, a key port for goods being transported from the southern China manufacturing belt to global markets, handled 296,000 tonnes of cargo in November, airport figures released Sunday showed.

Passenger numbers also fell during the month, dropping 5.6 percent year-on-year to 3.8 million.

The number of overall flights in and out of the airport fell 1.3 percent during the period, the airport said in a statement.

The disappointing cargo figures were due to a steep decline in demand from North American markets, as well as in Europe, southeast Asia and Taiwan, it added.

Passenger numbers were hit hardest in the long-haul sector, but there was also a significant fall in travellers from mainland China and across southeast Asia.

The closure of Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport at the end of the month, which saw 230 flights cancelled because of anti-government protests also led to the year-on-year drop.

"While the rapid and drastic reduction of fuel costs has brought considerable relief to airlines, the aviation industry is facing harder times with negative market sentiment and shrinking demand for services," Stanley Hui Hon-chung, chief executive officer of the Airport Authority, said.

"We believe the market is not likely to rebound soon, and a continued decline in air traffic is expected in the coming months, reflecting the continued impact of economic slowdown in major economies worldwide."

Cargo tonnage over the first 11 months of the year dropped 0.6 percent compared to the previous year, while passenger volume grew 2.4 percent over the same period.

聖誕加班航機急跌五成
15 December 2008

【東方日報專訊】金融海嘯重創本港航空業。即將來臨的聖誕新年假期原是市民外遊旺季，但今年的聖誕加班機較去年急跌五成，民航處暫只收到航空公司提出一百廿一班加班機申請。此外，香港國際機場客貨運量連續四個月下跌，其中貨運量的跌幅持續擴大，上月急跌百分之十八點七，是新機場開幕十年以來最大單月跌幅。機場管理局預料市場難在短期內復甦，航空交通量將繼續下跌。

民航處發言人表示，本月廿日至下月六日的聖誕旅遊旺季，暫只有一百廿一班加班航班，較去年同期二百卅七班大減近五成，當中有四十七班是來往日本、卅四班來往台灣、十七班來往南韓。至於港人旅遊熱點的泰國，則受政局動盪影響，暫只有五班加班機申請，更有機會取消。

國泰航空發言人表示，國泰在上述日子內只有約卅九班加班航機，較去年同期六十二班少近四成，加班機主要往來日本北海道，因不少港人喜歡冬天到北海道滑雪。港龍航空發言人稱，港龍今年聖誕及新年期間只有五班加班機前往東南亞地區。

減團費無助救亡

康泰旅行社總經理劉美詩透露，今年聖誕報團人數下跌五至六個百分點，最多人報團的地方是日本、韓國及北京；長線團則以澳洲最熱門。東瀛遊旅行社執行董事禤國全則稱，聖誕報團人數較去年跌一成，由於團費下調，營業額跌幅更大，市民今年主要到日本、南韓、北京旅遊，至於泰國團客量則激跌七成。

另外，本港機場客貨運量連續四個月下跌（見表）。十一月份的貨運量為二十九萬六千公噸，較去年同期急跌百分之十八點七，較十月份的跌幅擴大一倍。貨運量急跌，主要因環球貿易持續全面萎縮，跌幅最大的出口貨運市場是北美洲，其次為歐洲、東南亞及台灣。機場貨運量對上一次錄得雙位數字跌幅是○一年九月。

貨運量暴跌18.7%

至於十一月份的客運量則減少廿二萬八千人次至三百八十萬人次，較去年同期下跌百分之五點六，歐美等長線旅客及內地與東南亞市場均明顯縮減。而泰國曼谷國際機場在上月廿五日至本月三日期間關閉，逾二百三十班航班取消，導致客貨運量下跌。整體航空交通量則下跌百分之一點三，至二萬四千八百一十五架次。

機管局行政總裁許漢忠坦言，儘管燃油成本急速大幅下調，紓緩航空公司的沉重負擔，但市場情緒悲觀，航空需求減少，令航空業面對更嚴峻的考驗，預料未來數月的航空交通量將繼續下跌。機場管理局預計全球主要經濟體系陷入困境將造成持續影響，市場難以在短期內復甦，預料未來數月的航空交通量會繼續下跌。

Airport runway safety measures worth the effort
14 December 2008
South China Morning Post

Aviation safety depends not only on the experience and competence of pilots, but also the quality of support and facilities on the ground. Pilot error seems to have been the main cause of a worrying incident in September, in which a Hong Kong Airlines jet carrying 122 passengers and seven crew attempted to take off from a taxiway rather than a runway at Chek Lap Kok.

Fortunately, no plane was in the vicinity at the time. An air traffic controller raised the alarm in time to abort a takeoff.

Since then, two pilots have been sacked and the airline has promised to provide extra training to its pilots. This is all well and good, except a Civil Aviation Department investigation looking into the incident has also pointed to problems on the ground. The report recommends improving lighting and ground markings on taxiways, which could have confused the two pilots involved.

There is no question that Hong Kong International Airport ranks among the very best airports in the world. Seasoned Cathay Pacific pilots have vouched for the clearness of signs, markings and lighting on runways and taxiways, saying it is extremely difficult to confuse them. Nevertheless, confusion is still possible. There have been two incidents at the airport, in 2003 and 2007, similar to the one in September. A study in the US finds that such incidents happen once a day in the country. In the vast majority of cases, nothing happens and no one is hurt.

But the world does not need to live through another Tenerife incident. In that crash, the world's worst, two Boeing 747 airliners - one taking off and the other taxiing - collided on a runway on the Spanish island, killing 583 crew and passengers from both planes, in 1977.

Hong Kong's air safety records compare favourably to those of major US airports. There is no doubt that the designs and flight markings on our airport's runways and taxiways meet international standards. But given the catastrophic consequences that a single mistake can cause, taking extra steps to ensure even inexperienced pilots will not make mistakes is surely worth the effort.

^^ If HKIA meets, and possibly beyond, all international standards, but these careless human error still occur, shouldn't that the international standards to be ungraded and become more restricted rather than just blaming on the CAD and the Airport Authority not providing a safe airport environment??

I always wonder, majority of the jumbo jet cockpits are 8-10m above ground, but all these taxiway and runway indicators are at ground. Can the pilots really be able to see the signs on the ground clearly? You are not going to see what's right under you without the belly camera, which not all planes have.

It's like driving a car, where all the roadway signs have to be readable from certain distance, within eyesight until you pass them, and should be at eye height when approaching.

Yes, pilots have all the charts at their disposal, and should be fully aware of what is a taxiway and what is a runway. Pilot negligence cannot be fully mitigated by signage for dummies.

Hactl announces November tonnage throughput
Press Release

(10 December 2008, Hong Kong): Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) announced today the air cargo tonnage throughput for November 2008. A total of 203,074 tonnes were handled in the month, representing a year-on-year decrease of 19%. Cumulative tonnage from January to November 2008 was 2,365,136 tonnes, down 1.2% against the same period last year.

Import volume decreased 23.1% year-on-year, with 46,870 tonnes being handled in the month. Culmulative import volume for the eleven months was 600,098 tonnes, down 4.1% year-on-year.

Export volume for November was 118,608 tonnes, down 20.7% year-on-year. Aggregate export volume for the first eleven months was 1,305,928 tonnes, representing a dip of 3.2% against the same period last year.

Transshipment volume for November recorded a drop of 6.5% year-on-year to 37,596 tonnes. Total transshipment volume from January to November was 459,110 tonnes, representing an increase of 9.5% year-on-year.

The summary of the export, import and transshipment volumes handled in November and cumulative figures from January to November 2008 are tabulated as follows:

http://www.hactl.com/en/mediactr/press20081210.htm

Air Niugini strikes B767 troubles
19 December 2008
PNG Post Courier

AIR Niugini is making urgent moves with its aircraft to try to keep to schedule after a major asset, the Boeing 767, ran into engine trouble in Hong Kong.

During a check in Hong Kong yesterday, it was found an engine of the B767 needed fixing.

Engineers have begun work and according to the current work progress, the aircraft will not be available until tomorrow.

The aircraft was in Hong Kong for its routine maintenance check when it was discovered that it had a fault with the left hand engine. The situation affected the operations of PX003 and PX004 yesterday from Port Moresby to Brisbane and back. But these services were carried out by using Fokker 100 planes.

Air Niugini apologised to all its customers for the inconvenience caused. Another B757 aircraft registered under Air Niugini is expected to arrive in Port Moresby today. Its believed to be replacing the leased Icelandair plane.

載員工七人車失控狂撼鐵欄 停機坪撞車檢查員慘死
18 December 2008
星島日報

赤鱲角香港國際機場禁區發生死傷嚴重交通意外，一輛香港飛機工程公司七人車，昨午接載五名員工，在跑道尾停機坪轉右彎失控，撞上鐵欄和燈柱，車頭毀爛，後座中間員工疑未綁安全帶，被拋上前座狂撼擋風玻璃頭爆死亡，其他四人受傷，這是機場禁區內罕見一死四傷奪命車禍。

記者：徐裕民

香港飛機工程公司一輛接載員工的七人車，在機場禁區失事撞欄，員工一死四傷。死者家人接報趕到醫院，得知同車四名同事只是輕傷，只有死者撞死，質疑和追究死者死因。警方初步調查，疑死者未綁安全帶出事，拖走肇事七人車檢驗，查明事發經過。

死者彭灶炎，六十三歲，任職飛機維修品質檢查員。香港飛機工程公司發言人稱，彭在一九九八年入職，○五年滿六十歲退休，之後以合約形式繼續工作三年至今。四名傷者分別姓葉、何、趙及外籍員工Mchammad，由二十四至五十七歲，分別是司機、維修中心工人和飯堂員工。

由後座飛撼擋風玻璃

肇事七人車是接載員工的穿梭接駁車輛，每半小時一班，來往機場客運大樓與機場禁區內的維修區。車禍現場在機場跑道尾的西停機坪，機場維修區。

昨午三時半，彭與兩名同事及一名飯堂員工，在客運大樓乘坐由姓葉（五十二歲）司機駕駛的接駁客車，返回公司的維修中心，他們當中有人回貨倉取物品，亦有人下班。據稱，彭坐在車廂後座中間位，疑未綁上安全帶。

警方消息稱，該車載着五人，直駛往跑道尾的維修區，約十二分鐘抵達跑道尾，轉右彎駛進西停機坪時，有人聲稱扭右軚不成功，全車突然失控，猛撼兩呎高鐵欄，再撞向欄後燈柱及電箱，坐在後座中間的彭，被猛烈撞擊力拋上前座，頭頂猛撼擋風玻璃，天靈蓋當場爆裂流血昏迷，同車四人亦受傷。

車頭嚴重毀爛

該車擱在鐵欄上，車頭嚴重毀爛，輕傷者落車報警，消防員迅速趕至將彭救出，連同其餘四傷者，分別急送瑪嘉烈醫院搶救，但彭傷勢嚴重延至下午五時零九分不治，四名傷者經治療後，其中兩人無大礙出院，另兩人留院觀察。

載員工七人車失控狂撼鐵欄 停機坪撞車檢查員慘死
18 December 2008
星島日報

赤鱲角香港國際機場禁區發生死傷嚴重交通意外，一輛香港飛機工程公司七人車，昨午接載五名員工，在跑道尾停機坪轉右彎失控，撞上鐵欄和燈柱，車頭毀爛，後座中間員工疑未綁安全帶，被拋上前座狂撼擋風玻璃頭爆死亡，其他四人受傷，這是機場禁區內罕見一死四傷奪命車禍。

記者：徐裕民

香港飛機工程公司一輛接載員工的七人車，在機場禁區失事撞欄，員工一死四傷。死者家人接報趕到醫院，得知同車四名同事只是輕傷，只有死者撞死，質疑和追究死者死因。警方初步調查，疑死者未綁安全帶出事，拖走肇事七人車檢驗，查明事發經過。

死者彭灶炎，六十三歲，任職飛機維修品質檢查員。香港飛機工程公司發言人稱，彭在一九九八年入職，○五年滿六十歲退休，之後以合約形式繼續工作三年至今。四名傷者分別姓葉、何、趙及外籍員工Mchammad，由二十四至五十七歲，分別是司機、維修中心工人和飯堂員工。

由後座飛撼擋風玻璃

肇事七人車是接載員工的穿梭接駁車輛，每半小時一班，來往機場客運大樓與機場禁區內的維修區。車禍現場在機場跑道尾的西停機坪，機場維修區。

昨午三時半，彭與兩名同事及一名飯堂員工，在客運大樓乘坐由姓葉（五十二歲）司機駕駛的接駁客車，返回公司的維修中心，他們當中有人回貨倉取物品，亦有人下班。據稱，彭坐在車廂後座中間位，疑未綁上安全帶。

警方消息稱，該車載着五人，直駛往跑道尾的維修區，約十二分鐘抵達跑道尾，轉右彎駛進西停機坪時，有人聲稱扭右軚不成功，全車突然失控，猛撼兩呎高鐵欄，再撞向欄後燈柱及電箱，坐在後座中間的彭，被猛烈撞擊力拋上前座，頭頂猛撼擋風玻璃，天靈蓋當場爆裂流血昏迷，同車四人亦受傷。

車頭嚴重毀爛

該車擱在鐵欄上，車頭嚴重毀爛，輕傷者落車報警，消防員迅速趕至將彭救出，連同其餘四傷者，分別急送瑪嘉烈醫院搶救，但彭傷勢嚴重延至下午五時零九分不治，四名傷者經治療後，其中兩人無大礙出院，另兩人留院觀察。
Engineer dies in airport shuttle bus crash
18 December 2008
South China Morning Post

An inspector for the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company died and four other people were injured when their shuttle bus crashed into a barrier on South Runway Road at Chek Lap Kok airport at about 3.40pm yesterday. The 63-year-old man, named Pang, was declared dead at Princess Margaret Hospital. The others suffered minor injuries. Pang is survived by his wife, son and daughter.

A runway disaster just waiting to happen again
Too little has been done to prevent a repeat of the worst air crash in history
14 December 2008
South China Morning Post

It has been called the "crash of the century". In heavy fog on a March afternoon in the Spanish island of Tenerife, a packed KLM Boeing 747 roared towards its takeoff, fatally oblivious of a Pan Am jumbo jet taxiing in its path.

A split second before impact, the fog cleared enough for both pilots to see the horror awaiting them. The KLM captain desperately tried to lift his plane off the ground, dragging his tail along the runway before shearing the fuselage of the Pan Am jet apart, and ripping an engine off the underside of one of his own wings.

In the inferno that followed, 583 crew and passengers from both planes perished, making it the worst accident in aviation history. Three decades on, the 1977 crash remains the single most deadly airline disaster - a tragedy on a scale that with today's advanced technology and sophisticated airport systems could surely never happen again. Or could it?

It is a nagging question that was raised again by a comparatively trivial incident on a morning in September at Hong Kong International Airport when a South Korea-bound Boeing 737 with 122 passengers on board tried to take off down a taxiway rather than a runway.

In this case, there was no packed jumbo jet lying in wait, and the frantic radio calls of an air-traffic controller made the Hong Kong Airlines captain realise his blunder in time to abort takeoff. But it provided a stark reminder of how easy it still is for a disoriented pilot to make a potentially fatal wrong turn. Many pilots and aviation experts worldwide agree that while sophisticated new cockpit systems have led to huge advances in the avoidance of mid-air collisions and crashes into the ground in poor visibility, too little has been done in terms of technology to prevent a repeat of the tragedy of Tenerife.

In the US, a report found last year that runway incursions - where planes mistakenly stray onto active runways - take place at the rate of almost one a day. The risk of an accident killing hundreds of people at an airport is "real and growing larger", the report warned.

Many pilots and experts believe the bewildering sprawl of taxiways and runways that spider out across today's constantly expanding international airports are an accident waiting to happen.

So who was to blame for the Hong Kong Airlines incident of September 13? A Civil Aviation Department (CAD) spokeswoman told the Sunday Morning Post a thorough investigation had found the incident was caused partly by a "temporary loss of situation awareness on the part of the flight crew concerned prior to the commencement of the takeoff manoeuvres".

The plane's Indonesian captain and first officer appear to have shouldered most of the blame, having been immediately suspended and subsequently dismissed. From the beginning of the CAD investigation, the airline appeared to be prepared to allow the pilot and co-pilot to take full responsibility.

A management source at Hong Kong Airlines pointed out that the apron markings and lighting at Chek Lap Kok were so clear, a pilot would have to be "really, really stupid" to attempt to take off from a taxiway.

Runways at the airport are clearly distinguished by red lights at the side and white centre-line markings, while taxiways have green lights running down each side and no centre line, the source said.

"The runway in Hong Kong is super-duper," he said. "It is a very colourful runway. You can see the lights very clearly, especially at 4 o'clock in the morning. So you have to be really, really stupid to try to take off from a taxiway with green lights."

The view that this was a case of pilot error was widely shared among the pilot community, which saw it as a consequence of the airline sacking experienced expatriate pilots and replacing them with less competent fliers.

"As a pilot, I have to say it would be very difficult to mistake a taxiway for a runway in Hong Kong. The taxiway doesn't look anything like a runway," said one Cathay Pacific pilot. "I suspect the problem was that the pilots involved in this incident weren't used to flying into major international airports. The taxiways at Chek Lap Kok are bigger than most runways at airports around the region."

The CAD's findings were not so clear cut, however. Apart from apportioning some blame to the flight crew and recommending improved crew training and procedures, the investigation concluded that taxiway lighting and ground-marking systems at Chek Lap Kok needed to be improved.

Lighting and ground markings at the airport are up to international standard, the spokeswoman insisted, but she added: "In light of the current incident and in order to assist pilots in enhancing the situation awareness when taxiing an aircraft to the runway, the CAD will {hellip} discuss with the Airport Authority measures to further step up the visual guidance given to pilots."

The report recommends changes to "some of the lighting and ground-marking systems at the HKIA focusing on helping the pilots to maintain their orientation". The findings were believed to centre on the southwest corner of the apron, where the attempted takeoff took place.

The findings are significant because there have been two previous incidents involving attempted takeoffs from taxiways at the airport - in June 2003 and May last year. Some improvements were made to lighting and signage after the latter.

Alex Au, a spokesman for Hong Kong Airlines, said last week the recommendations arising from the CAD investigation proved that what happened was part of a broader problem.

"It isn't just us. Other people have fallen into this trap," he said.

"There are areas in the airport where it is very dark and where there is a lot of lighting, which can be confusing. The report addresses the issue of the southern corner of the airport and it has good recommendations."

He added: "We accept the findings. This has been a lesson learnt. There are particular parts of the airport where you have to be careful, and we will reinforce our training and other aspects of our procedures. The report is a fair report and action needs to be taken by the airline and by the Airport Authority."

A senior Hong Kong-based captain said the incident illustrated a general failure of the airline industry to develop sufficient safeguards against ground collisions. Some airports, particularly those in major US cities, were a "dog's dinner" and far harder to navigate than Hong Kong's, he argued.

"The fact that things like this are still occurring, even on one of the best airports in the world, shows there is a problem that needs addressing by the aviation community," the captain said.

"The technology we have today isn't too different from what we had at the time of the Tenerife disaster. Nothing major has been done to prevent an accident of that kind happening again.

"We didn't use the accident as a wake-up call to develop the technology to prevent it happening again {hellip} We should do more."

A study of runway incursions by the Airline Pilots' Association International last year found that on average over the past five years in the US alone, there were 325 incidents annually of planes straying onto active runways - almost one a day.

Since the Tenerife disaster, there have been five fatal accidents involving runway incursions in the US, including one in Los Angeles in 1991 that killed 34 people. As well as the fatal accidents, there have been a number of near misses.

While traffic alert and collision avoidance systems have cut the risk of mid-air collisions and ground proximity warning systems have cut the incidence of planes flying into the ground or an obstacle, no such technology has yet been introduced to prevent the risk of planes straying onto active runways, the report points out.

Ground radars, not in use at the time of the Tenerife crash, and improved training have helped to contain the risk to some degree, but the growth of airports and air traffic has increased the likelihood of a major accident to a far greater degree.

The report called for the introduction of on-board moving map displays, a technological measure which the association estimated would help cut runway incursions by 95 per cent, along with better airport markings and runway status lights and takeoff hold lights.

"The risk of a runway incursion event that could kill hundreds of people in a single accident is real and growing larger," the report concluded. "The current level of risk is unacceptable. Strong and immediate mitigations need to be implemented."

At Hong Kong Airlines, meanwhile, steps have already been taken to avoid a repeat of September's incident, according to the management source. Every pilot at the airline is now being given 10 minutes of additional training in a simulator to ensure they can safely navigate their way from taxiways to runways at Chek Lap Kok, the source said.

"We have also given everybody a map of the airport and told them, 'Go home and study it before you sleep - that's where the runway is, so remember it'," he said. "This is not to be taken lightly. Pilots shouldn't take off unless they are absolutely sure they are on the runway."

機場車禍 死者獲百萬賠償
21 December 2008

【東方日報專訊】香港國際機場停機坪日前發生的奪命車禍，被拋出客貨車外身亡的香港飛機工程公司倉庫檢查員彭灶炎（六十三歲），將獲得約一百萬元勞工保險賠償，其家人將於明日返回現場拜祭。

港機工程公司發言人表示，車禍後翌日已向彭的家屬發放五萬元恩恤金應急，根據初步估計，相信彭可獲得約一百萬元勞工保險賠償，明天將特別安排彭的家人到車禍現場進行法事。

據讀者提供照片，當日肇事客貨車車頭及前座兩邊車門損毀不堪，被撞及的燈箱亦告損毀，電線外露翻側地上。

事發上周三，港機工程公司一輛穿梭機場的客貨車，接載員工往維修區途中失事，坐於後座的彭被拋出車外傷重不治，司機及三名員工亦浴血受傷。

Fleet Plan of Hong Kong Airlines
Press Release
23 Dec 2008

With reference to the recent news cast that Hong Kong Airlines will reduce the number of aircraft, we would like to announce that as of today, Hong Kong Airlines is still operating 5 Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

As with other prudent and responsible air-service operators in the present adverse economic environment, we are continuously reviewing our business plan to better serve our valuable customers.

The 2009 fleet plan is yet to be finalized and cannot be discussed at present.

Airport strike looms over bonuses
26 December 2008
South China Morning Post

The Labour Department and Airport Authority yesterday called for calm ahead of a possible strike by ground workers angry over a decision that would provide a 2 per cent pay rise next year but cut bonuses.

The workers said the company plan was unacceptable because it would reduce their annual pay by about 7 per cent. They threatened to strike if the company refused to reverse its decision.

At the centre of the saga is a recent decision by Hong Kong Airport Services to halve the annual bonus for more than 3,000 workers. The firm blamed the global economic downturn for the decision.

The workers, most of whom make about HK$6,000 to HK$8,000 a month, used to receive annual bonuses equivalent to two months' salary, their union said.

"There was no consultation," said Ip Wai-ming, a lawmaker and deputy general secretary of the Staff and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines. "The company said it was because of the recession, but the workload {hellip} has not been reduced."

He said that during the Sars crisis in 2003 the company still paid bonuses equivalent to six weeks' salary.

Mr Ip said he hoped to meet the management and resolve the issue in the next day or two.

"There are some workers saying we should strike if the company refuses to listen to us {hellip} The last thing we want is to see airport services paralysed during the peak holiday period, but it all depends on the company's response."

A spokesman for the Labour Department said it was monitoring the situation and had been helping to arrange meetings between the two sides. "We hope both sides can handle the issue rationally," he said.

An Airport Authority spokeswoman said it hoped both sides could resolve their differences.

An Airport Services spokesman could not be reached.

Flights at Hong Kong airport disrupted by strike of ground staff
27 December 2008
Agence France Presse

Flights into and out of Hong Kong were heavily disrupted Saturday afternoon after more than 500 airport ground staff went on strike in protest at a cut in their annual bonus.

The three-hour strike resulted in major delays to the departure or baggage delivery of 83 flights until 6pm Saturday (1000 GMT), a spokeswoman for the Airport Authority told AFP. Some passengers told broadcaster Cable TV on arrival they had to wait for two hours before they could get their luggage.

The industrial action took place after Hong Kong Airport Services, one of the three companies providing ground services to the airport, refused on Saturday morning to drop their decision to scrap the annual performance-based bonus for their 3,000 staff which usually amounted to one month's salary.

Instead, the company said it would give the staff a one-off payment of only 750 Hong Kong dollars (96.2 US).

"The company has made a profit this year despite the financial crisis. It is unfair for it to cut our bonus simply because of its concerns about what could happen to the company next year," Man Ng, a committee member of the Staff and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines, told AFP.

"Our strike is to tell the world the way we are being treated by the company. We have tried our best to minimise our disruption to flight passengers by keeping the strike to only three hours," he said.

Ng said the bonus meant a lot to them because of their low salaries, which ranged from 6,400 to 10,000 dollars a month.

The union said Saturday night the company had offered to pay a bonus amounting to half a month's wages following the strike.

The union said the proposal would not be accepted but the staff had promised the company not to launch any further action until negotiations resumed on January 5.

The Airport Authority said it had deployed 100 extra staff to assist affected passengers on Saturday. It added that it had asked the other two ground services companies to stand by in case of further industrial action from the Hong Kong Airport Services staff.

Falling cargo and passenger numbers set alarm bells ringing
28 December 2008
South China Morning Post

The global financial crisis has cut passenger and cargo flow at Hong Kong International Airport, which will hurt its bottom line.

In particular, the drop in cargo has widened month by month since August, showing clearly the worsening impact of the downturn.

In tonnage of cargo handled, the airport saw a 3.9 per cent year-on-year drop in August, a 7.5 per cent drop in September, a 9.2 per cent drop in October and an 18.7 per cent drop last month.

In terms of passengers, the airport saw a 5.3 per cent year-on-year drop in August, a 4.7 per cent drop in September, a 1.4 per cent drop in October and a 5.6 per cent drop last month. In contrast, from January to July, before the financial crisis was fully felt, the airport - the world's fifth busiest in passenger numbers - enjoyed positive year-on-year growth in passenger and cargo handled.

On November 26, the Airport Authority's chief executive, Stanley Hui Hon-chung, said he expected traffic at the airport to decline further.

Raymond Lai Wing-cheung, the authority's finance and investment boss, said at the time: "We expect a continued decline in air traffic, which will inevitably affect our financial performance for the second half of 2008/09 and well into the next financial year."

Meanwhile, reports last month said Cathay Pacific might delay completion of its third cargo terminal, worth an estimated HK$4.8 billion, because the airline wanted to preserve cash amid the slowdown.

Mainland airports are also suffering from the financial crisis.

In a domino effect, mainland airports were seeking more than 4 billion yuan (HK4.5 billion) in unpaid fees from airlines, which was hurting the airports' operations, China Central Television reported late last month.

Mainland airlines incurred combined losses of 4.3 billion yuan in the first 10 months of this year as passenger and freight volumes declined, the state broadcaster reported.

About 70 per cent of the revenue of mainland airports comes from fees paid by airlines.

Airport ready for any strike, says minister
1 January 2009
South China Morning Post

The Airport Authority has contingency plans to handle any strike staged by ground staff, the transport minister said yesterday.

The comment came after about 1,000 ground staff, unhappy with Hong Kong Airport Service's plans to halve their annual bonuses, staged a three-hour strike on Saturday, throwing the airport into chaos.

Thousands of people who flew into Hong Kong left the airport without their luggage, and dozens of flights were delayed.

The Staff and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines has promised that the workers will not take any further industrial action before Monday.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng said the Airport Authority was working closely with other government departments.

"The Airport Authority is co-ordinating with relevant departments, bureaus and airlines. But I think the most important thing of all is for both sides [airport ground staff and employers] to sit down and talk," she said after inspecting improvement works in Tuen Mun Road.

Ms Cheng also said about 40,000 jobs would be created as various infrastructure projects would be introduced, including road works in Tuen Mun, which would account for about 10,000 jobs. She said a number of major transport infrastructure projects costing about HK$28.6 billion were either in progress or in the pipeline to cope with the rapid development of Tuen Mun and the northwestern New Territories.

Ms Cheng said improvement work in Tuen Mun Road included installation of noise barriers and low-noise surfacing, with the work expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Other improvement works to the road include widening the section near Tuen Mun town centre and work on the Tuen Mun Road expressway section, scheduled to be completed by 2012 and 2014.

國泰削雙糧風平浪靜
5 January 2009
信報

香港機場地勤服務有限公司（ＨＡＳ）因為削減員工薪金，隨時再引發工潮，相比下，早前宣布削減員工雙糧的國泰，卻顯得風平浪靜。

一九九八年正式全面投入服務的ＨＡＳ由國泰全資擁有，根據該公司網頁資料顯示，公司目前為十三家國際航空公司提供地勤服務，及三十七家國際航空公司提供停機坪服務事宜，當中當然包括國泰以及港龍航空公司。

國泰二○○八年中期報告指出，ＨＡＳ錄得「令人滿意的中期溢利」，但同時指其回報令人關注（but yields remained a concern），並表示ＨＡＳ已展開多項計劃，以抗衡成本上漲的影響。此言相信已為削減表現獎金埋下伏線。

不過，跟ＨＡＳ一樣，國泰於去年十一月宣布，本月起員工平均獲加薪百分之二的同時，員工過往獲發放的雙糧，會以半個月薪金或八千元取代，一加一減下，國泰員工收入較往年減少約百分之二。

但國泰員工並未像ＨＡＳ員工反應激烈，香港民用航空事業職工總會總幹事陳寶財強調，國泰員工一直都是按公司業績表現才決定是否發放雙糧，而ＨＡＳ的表現獎金是按表現，兩者並不一樣。

而更加重要的是，ＨＡＳ員工雖說有雙糧，但還要爭取等同第十四個月的表現獎金，原因是他們薪金偏低，約六千多元，大家一直都是靠「多勞多得」，靠加班補水及表現獎金提高收入水平。

陳寶財指出，近月員工加班時間已減少，再減表現獎金，只會令到員工收入不足以應付基本生活開支。

對於ＨＡＳ的勞資問題，國泰發言人昨天強調，ＨＡＳ是獨立公司，會交由他們自行處理。而作為「客戶」之一的國泰，會密切注意情況，希望問題在短期內獲得解決，對乘客影響減至最低■

Airport staff continue bonus talks
6 January 2009
South China Morning Post

Marathon negotiations on the bonus dispute between Hong Kong airport ground staff and their employer continued last night, with unionists saying a strike remained a last resort.

Representatives from Hong Kong Airport Services (HAS) met a dozen staff yesterday at the Labour Department's offices in Kwai Chung.

No agreement had been reached by 9pm.

Unionist lawmaker Ip Wai-ming, who is the deputy secretary for the Staff and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines, said there were plans for further industrial action if the talks collapsed.

"We view [industrial action] as the last resort. It is part of our negotiation tactics," Mr Ip said ahead of the meeting. "The union is prepared but we will consult the workers for when it would take place."

HAS had initially said it was scrapping the bonus - which this year was to be four weeks' salary. After negotiations, it said it would pay two weeks' bonus, but workers want a full month.

Chow Siu-sung, the general secretary of the Airport Air Freight Employees' Association, said they stood by their demands.

"The workers deserve to get the bonus after a year of hard work," Mr Chow said.

HAS had no comment.

A spokeswoman for the Airport Authority said it remained in close communication with other airport service operators.

"If necessary, we will deploy more manpower to handle luggage and facilitate passenger flow," she said.

"We will closely monitor the situation and might activate the airport emergency centre to co-ordinate airport service operators, if there is a need.

"We appeal to the HAS and airport ground staff to stay calm and resolve their differences through negotiation and avoid taking action that might cause inconvenience to travellers."

Air traffic and other services were seriously affected on December 27 when about 1,000 ground staff went on a three-hour strike.

Thousands of people who flew into Hong Kong left the airport without their luggage, and dozens of flights were delayed.

HK's Airport Staff Rule Out Future Strikes After Pay Deal
6 January 2009

HONG KONG (AFP)--Ground staff at Hong Kong's International Airport on Tuesday ruled out further strikes after their employer agreed to drop a proposal to scrap their annual bonus.

Following a 15-hour negotiating session that ended at 6:00 a.m. (2200 GMT Monday), representatives of staff at Hong Kong Airport Services said the company had agreed to pay each full-time employee a bonus equivalent to 18 days' pay.

On top of that, the company will also give a one-off additional payment of HKD1,000 ($130) to all staff.

'Although we cannot say we are 100% happy about the company's final decision, their offer is acceptable,' said Ng Wai-yee, spokeswoman for the 3,000 staff affected, adding there would be no further strikes.

The company is the largest of the three major ground services providers at the airport.

The negotiations took place after more than 500 staff went on strike on Dec. 27 in protest against the company's plan to drop their annual performance-based bonus.

The three-hour industrial action resulted in major disruptions to departures and baggage delivery for more than 80 flights, with passengers complaining they had to wait up to three hours before they could pick up their luggage.

It also led to the intervention of the Airport Authority and the government in a bid to settle the dispute.

HK seeks clarity on roles of airports
9 January 2009
South China Morning Post

The Hong Kong government said it would look for a clearer division of roles among airports in the Pearl River Delta region after the central government said the region should become a regional hub for international logistics.

The National Development and Reform Commission said yesterday that the region would develop a modern service structure that accommodated the needs of Hong Kong, and become a centre for international shipping, logistics, trade, conferences, exhibitions and tourism.

The Hong Kong government said it would work with neighbouring cities to ensure a clear division of roles for ports and airports in the region.

Hung Wing-tat, a logistics expert and professor at Polytechnic University, said the development plan hinted that the region's airports should co-operate, rather than compete, with each other. "Under this clear instruction, the Hong Kong government should consider going ahead with the logistics park proposed for Lantau Island as early as possible."

Bauhinia Foundation senior fellow Zhu Wenhui said the commission's announcement yesterday endorsed new planning concepts and would clear some hurdles to cross-boundary integration. Hong Kong universities had not been allowed to set up branches on the mainland, and there had been limits on using funding from a city on one side of the border to study issues on the other side, he said. "These problems are expected to be solved soon."

Zheng Tianxiang , a professor of economics at Zhongshan University's Pearl River Delta Research Institute in Guangzhou, said closer co-operation between Guangdong and Hong Kong was easier said than done.

Some "fundamental differences" between Hong Kong and Guangdong needed to be sorted out first, he said. "Hong Kong still seems to treat Guangdong as its backyard factory."

Interesting that last quote. Seems the mainlanders have some serious insecurities about themselves. As long as they have that attitude about HK and try to compete, the region as a whole will not flourish.

I hate to say this, but China has to take a lesson from Japan. The japanese are so good at forsaking personal pride for the good of the nation, and willing to sacrifice and cooperate, while the Chinese seem hellbent on besting one another.

Interesting that last quote. Seems the mainlanders have some serious insecurities about themselves. As long as they have that attitude about HK and try to compete, the region as a whole will not flourish.

I hate to say this, but China has to take a lesson from Japan. The japanese are so good at forsaking personal pride for the good of the nation, and willing to sacrifice and cooperate, while the Chinese seem hellbent on besting one another.

Unfortunately, I would say many people in the PRD (everyone neither HKer, Cantonese or Macao's) do still look at the region that way with three forces.
After all, there is still the history and cultural difference among Macao, HK and Guangdong. Even it has been ten years, but the generation that runs the society are still those grew up in the colonial past who still has the mind set that way. Time will change.

50 多 名 香 港 航 空 員 工 被 解 僱 　 向 工 會 求 助
2009-01-09 HKT 20:00
RTHK

職 工 盟 表 示 ， 收 到 香 港 航 空 空 勤 員 工 求 助 ， 大 約 50 多 名 員 工 ， 收 到 公 司 以 掛 號 形 式 寄 出 的 解 僱 信 ， 即 日 生 效 。

職 工 盟 說 ， 信 件 沒 有 解 釋 解 僱 原 因 ， 其 後 員 工 互 相 聯 絡 ， 知 道 數 十 人 受 影 響 ， 認 為 是 裁 員 行 動 ， 有 員 工 曾 致 電 公 司 要 求 解 釋 ， 但 被 管 方 拒 絕 。

被 裁 員 工 將 於 短 期 內 開 會 ， 並 計 劃 前 往 香 港 航 空 公 司 總 部 ， 要 求 公 司 交 代 。

Hong Kong Dec air cargo throughput drops 30 pct

HONG KONG, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Air cargo throughput via Hong Kong in December plunged 29.7 percent from a year earlier, reflecting weak global demand for Asian goods amid deteriorating economic conditions in Western countries where many retailers were offering huge discounts to sell goods over the Christmas period.

The decline in trade accelerated from a 19 percent year-on-year drop in November.

Data released by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd (Hactl) showed that air cargo volumes through Hong Kong for 2008 as a whole fell 3.8 percent from 2007 to total 2.534 million tonnes. Hong Kong is a re-export centre for trade between Asia and the rest of the world.

Breakdown of air cargo handled by Hactl in December:


December 2008 Jan-Dec 2008
Tonnage Yr/Yr Tonnage Yr/Yr
(tonnes) growth (pct) (tonnes) growth (pct)
Export 88,222 -34.0 1,394,146 -6.0
Import 44,787 -29.6 644,885 -6.4
Transshipment 34,836 -16.0 494,479 7.3
--------------------------------------------------------
Total 167,845 -29.7 2,533,510 -3.8

Interesting that last quote. Seems the mainlanders have some serious insecurities about themselves. As long as they have that attitude about HK and try to compete, the region as a whole will not flourish.

I hate to say this, but China has to take a lesson from Japan. The japanese are so good at forsaking personal pride for the good of the nation, and willing to sacrifice and cooperate, while the Chinese seem hellbent on besting one another.

Thats exactly our problem, us Chinese are so regionalistic and seem to screw each other up all the time its disturbing. Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong are within one country already yet they're always bickering about this and that. Surely there are differences within the regions but people really should work together for the ultimate greater good of the nation, after all we're all Chinese and belong to the same country.

Cathay Pacific to delay new cargo terminal by 24 mths

HONG KONG, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Cathay Pacific Airways said on Thursday it will defer completion of its new Hong Kong cargo terminal by up to 24 months to mid-2013, as the global economic slowdown hits cargo traffic.

Cathay warned on Tuesday its cargo and mail traffic dived nearly a quarter in December on weak demand from China, while passenger numbers fell slightly.

The carrier said the first quarter of 2009 will be weak, and revised its cargo capacity to Europe and North America downwards.

"The deferral is aimed at better matching supply and demand in the airfreight business given the current market outlook. It is also important for the company to maintain a strong balance sheet until the market strengthens," Cathay Pacific said in a statement received by Reuters.

It added that it remains fully committed to building and operating the third cargo terminal.

The HK Airport Authority said it had agreed to the delay for the facility which was originally scheduled for opening in the second half of 2011.

Cathay Pacific Services Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Kong's dominant airline, holds a non-exclusive 20-year franchise to operate the terminal, awarded to it in March by the Airport Authority.

Cathay's shares dropped 2.4 percent to close at HK$8.38 on Thursday.

HK Gov't Gazette:
Dragonair Applies Routes to and from HK to cities in Japan (http://www.gld.gov.hk/cgi-bin/gld/egazette/gazettefiles.cgi?lang=e&year=2009&month=1&day=16&vol=13&no=03&gn=301&header=1&part=0&df=1&nt=gn&newfile=1&acurrentpage=12&agree=1&gaz_type=mg)

Dragonair Applies Routes to and from HK to Jiuzhaigou and Lijiang in China (http://www.gld.gov.hk/cgi-bin/gld/egazette/gazettefiles.cgi?lang=e&year=2009&month=1&day=16&vol=13&no=03&gn=302&header=1&part=0&df=1&nt=gn&newfile=1&acurrentpage=12&agree=1&gaz_type=mg)

Central government backs HK as int'l aviation center: State Councilor

BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's central government supports Hong Kong's continued status as an international and regional aviation center, State Councilor Liu Yandong said on Friday.

The central government supports enhanced cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong in aviation, Liu said in a meeting with James Hughes-Hallett, chairman of the Swire Group.

The government attaches great importance to the economic development and social stability of Hong Kong, she said. The government had taken a series of measures to support Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's (HKSAR) handling of the international financial crisis.

Since Hong Kong's return to China, the government has adhered strictly to the Basic of Law the HKSAR, and the policy of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy is seriously implemented, she said.

She expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Swire Group in promoting Hong Kong's economy and enhancing economic cooperation between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

Liu said she hoped that the company would contribute more to Hong Kong's economic development, livelihood improvement and social stability, and actively participate in the Chinese mainland's economic development and enhance cooperation with the mainland in the aviation field.

Headquartered in London, the Swire Group's core businesses in Hong Kong are held by the Swire Pacific Ltd., which is the largest shareholder of Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong's flag carrier.

Singapore Airlines Cuts 214 Flights As Demand Falls -Report
162 words
15 January 2009
19:44
Dow Jones International News
English
(c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore Airlines Ltd. (C6L.SG) is canceling 214 flights from now until the end of March on falling demand, the Straits Times newspaper reported Friday, citing a circular to travel agents.

In the circular, the airline said it will reduce flights to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou in China, and to Mumbai and New Delhi. Flights to Perth, Sydney and Brisbane in Australia and to London and Zurich will also be affected, the Straits Times said.

The 214 flights account for less than 3% of the airline's total flights, the paper added.

"We are approaching the economic downturn with the same broad approach to capacity that we had during the SARS downturn in 2003," the report quoted a Singapore Airlines spokesman as saying.

Hong Kong air cargo sharply down in 2008, passenger growth slows
19 January 2009
Agence France Presse

Air cargo through Hong Kong dropped more than three percent last year, airport figures released Monday showed, as the global drop-off in demand for goods hit traffic through the export hub.

The global slowdown devastated freight demand in the second half of the year, resulting in a 3.1 percent fall in volume, compared to 4.5 percent growth in 2007, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) said in a statement.

In December, cargo throughput plunged 28.2 percent year-on-year to 243,000 tonnes, the largest single-month drop since the airport opened in 1998, the statement said.

Passenger growth was also hit, slowing to 1.7 percent in 2008 compared to a record growth of 7.5 percent in 2007, the figures showed. Annual passenger volume was 48.6 million for 2008.

The statement said that while passenger traffic maintained a steady growth in the first seven months of the year, it saw a four percent drop over the last five months.

The volume of passenger traffic plunged 5.3 percent year-on-year to 4 million in December, with routes to and from Southeast Asia, Taiwan, China and North America recording the biggest drops.

The HKIA said the annual drop was partly due to China's tighter visa rules for foreign tourists following security worries for the Beijing Olympics last summer.

"2008 was a very tough year for the aviation industry, with skyrocketing oil prices in the first half of the year followed by the financial tsunami and the ensuing weakening demand for travel and air cargo services in the second half," said Stanley Hui, chief executive of the Airport Authority.

Hui said he expected another challenging year ahead as the full effects of the global downturn would be felt, but said he thought the economy would stabilise in the latter part of 2009.

HK govt allows airlines to almost halve maximum fuel surcharges
22 January 2009
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong on Thursday said it had approved the applications by Cathay Pacific and three other airlines to almost halve their fuel surcharges in response to falling oil prices.

The move will cut the carriers' maximum fuel surcharges by 44 percent to 61 Hong Kong dollars (7.82 US) for short-haul flights and to 280 dollars for long-haul flights, a Civil Aviation Department spokesman said in a statement.

The new surcharges at Cathay, All Nippon Airways, Singapore Airlines and Nepal Airlines will be introduced between February 1 and March 31 this year.

"Despite the drop in oil prices, it remains an international practice for airlines to levy passenger fuel surcharges," the spokesman said.

"When compared with the average amounts of surcharges at international level, the surcharges on the local routes remain at a lower level," he said.

The spokesman told AFP that it is reviewing similar applications from Dragonair, Thai Airways International and another carrier.

Cathay immediately announced it would be reducing its fuel surcharges, and insisted they would "continue to be significantly lower than those of other international airlines on comparable routes outside Hong Kong."

The aviation department said the surcharges were last reviewed at the end of November, when the maximum surcharge levels were set at 108 dollars for short-haul flights and 499 dollars for long-haul flights.

The aviation industry has been suffering from weakened demand for travel and air cargo services since the financial crisis hit in the second half of last year.

Hong Kong Exports Woes
26 January 2009
Traffic World

Long the world's leading international air gateway, Hong Kong International Airport now appears to be at the epicenter of the collapse in China's export business.

Cargo business at the world's largest freight airport fell off a cliff as 2008 wound down as freighter operations turned down sharply amid a general decline in Asia exports.

An 18.7 percent decline in the cargo handled in November included a 19.5 percent drop in loaded exports, and it appeared that even worse was on the way.

China, which started 2008 with exports growing at a better than 25 percent annual rate, reported a 2.8 percent decline in overall exports in December and operators in Hong Kong, a key gateway for China trade, were hit hard by the slowdown.

In the worst month of a bad quarter and a slow year, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals saw its tonnage fall 29.7 percent compared with December 2007 to 167,845 metric tons. For the fourth quarter, tonnage was down 19.4 percent to 593,082 metric tons. For the year, HACTL's tonnage was down 3.8 percent.

"The global economic performance remains bleak. With the toxic combination of falling trading demand and the possible modal shift from air to ocean taking place, the whole air cargo industry is undergoing an extremely challenging ice age," said Lilian Chan, HACTL's general manager of marketing and customer service.

The airport's No. 2 handler, Asia Airfreight Terminals, fared even worse.

Tonnage for AAT was off 33 percent in December, including a 37 percent drop in exports.

That collapse of the air export market is especially tough for the cargo handlers because the business makes up about two-thirds of the ground business in Hong Kong and is critical to business across Asia.

Ground handler Swissport said this month it will leave Singapore Changi Airport less than three years after moving into the airport as the airport authority responded to forwarder and carriers requests by opening up the site to greater competition. Swissport's withdrawal will leave one of the world's largest freight airports with two ground handlers.

In Hong Kong, HACTL's exports were down 34 percent in December and 6 percent for the year. Exports to most countries were down by double digits, but the big exception was the Middle East; exports to that region gained 19.3 percent in the last quarter.

Imports were down 29.6 percent in December and 6.4 percent for the year. Imports from the United States dropped 11.2 percent in the fourth quarter.

"In light of the uncertainties in the global economies and loss of consuming power and confidence around the world, we can only be cautiously optimistic about the possible recovery in the latter half of 2009," said Chan.

Air carriers are not showing much optimism, responding to the reduced demand by scaling back flights as rapidly as they can. Hong Kong reported a 10.1 percent decline in freighter movements in November and the 4,025 all-cargo flights marked a slight decline from October to November, a period when carriers usually are ramping up flights for peak season deliveries.

Instead of building up, however, carriers across Asia have been pulling down capacity. The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines says its member airlines reduced freight capacity 8.9 percent in December, still well behind the 15.5 percent decline in traffic the association measured.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways reduced its cargo capacity 14 percent in December, which wasn't enough to match a 23.9 percent decline in cargo and mail tonnage from the same month the year before.

Thats exactly our problem, us Chinese are so regionalistic and seem to screw each other up all the time its disturbing. Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong are within one country already yet they're always bickering about this and that. Surely there are differences within the regions but people really should work together for the ultimate greater good of the nation, after all we're all Chinese and belong to the same country.

Well, some competition within the region is a good thing. Even within the same country, there is some competition going on between regions and cities. For the airports, there was a huge lesson learned from overbuilding in the delta.

Any takers for a used jumbo jet?
25 January 2009
South China Morning Post

Have you been searching high and low for a used jumbo jet?

If so, try calling the Airport Authority, but don't expect seats. Or engines for that matter.

An Ocean Airlines Boeing 747 that had been abandoned at Chek Lap Kok airport since 2007 may be put on the auction block, according to documents filed in the High Court.

The Airport Authority has asked the court for approval to sell "or otherwise dispose of" the plane, which was abandoned when the defunct cargo airline halted flights. There was no mention of a possible asking price.

A spokesman from the authority said they were selling the plane to recover unpaid airport charges.

John Findlay, general secretary of Hong Kong Aircrew Officers' Association, can see the lonely jet from his office window. "It's an old heap of junk. It's just sitting in the middle of the airport, getting in the way."

It was likely that no one had paid parking charges since the demise of the plane's Italy-based owner, which flew cargo between Europe and Asia, Mr Findlay said.

Three of the jet's four engines had been removed, along with most of its fixtures, to make the aircraft lighter.

That decision made headlines in September when the plane was spun 90 degrees during Typhoon Hagupit.

Some pilots complained that the jet's reduced weight posed a safety risk when there were strong winds.

No planes were parked next to the Boeing at the time, possibly because some airlines had asked that their aircraft not share neighbouring bays.

"Other airlines were concerned that something like this might happen," a pilot told the South China Morning Post after the storm. "They asked to have those bays kept clear {hellip} in case it shifted and damaged other planes."

It was unclear what sort of market existed for the hollowed-out plane, but Mr Findlay said the jet would probably be cut up and sold as scrap.

Anyone thinking about flying it out of the airport without at least two of its four engines had better think again, he said. It would not be recommended.

"Technically, you could fly a very long way with two engines," he said. "But no one would."

Any takers for a used jumbo jet?
25 January 2009By RCCC from HKADB :


By RCCC from HKADB :

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Haeco: Executive Director Sathianathan To Retire Jan 31
30 January 2009

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co. (0044.HK) said Friday that executive director Mohan Joseph Ashokumar Sathianathan will retire on Jan. 31.

The company didn't say who will replace him.

客機撞物料貨車司機○鑊
1 February 2009

【太陽報專訊】香港國際機場去年七月發生啟用以來首宗客機撞車意外，機場管理局已向民航處提交事故調查報告，指肇事物料運送車的司機警覺性不足，沒有按照停機坪路標駕駛。不過，報告的結論卻惹起工會的不滿，認為只是譴責司機而沒有提及停機坪管理人員及飛機師的責任，並不公平。

這宗罕見意外發生於去年七月八日，中國國際航空一班由天津抵港的客機，在停機坪泊位時，右邊機翼擦到並壓?香港飛機工程公司一輛運送物料貨車的車頂，幸事件中無人受傷。據機管局去年八月提交的報告稱，貨車司機當時沒有按機坪路標駕駛，警覺性不足。機管局指出，所有相關的機構及部門已採納報告建議。民航處表示滿意報告提出的改善措施。民用航空事業職工總會秘書長陳寶財說，這宗事故由多種因素造成，若只怪責司機並不公平，他質疑機坪管理人員負責協調飛機停泊，為何報告並無提及他們以及機師的責任。陳認為，機坪交通繁忙加上飛機泊位狹窄，才是意外的主因。

Swire Decides Against Plan To Raise Haeco Stake
19 January 2009

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Conglomerate Swire Pacific Ltd. (0019.HK) said Monday it decided against raising its stake in Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co. (0044.HK) after it failed to get a waiver from regulators on a compulsory buyout offer.

Swire said in a statement it had considered buying a stake of about 7.45% in the aircraft maintenance services provider from Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. (0293.HK) as part of a restructuring of the two companies' shareholding in Haeco.

Swire said it applied to the Securities and Futures Commission for an exemption on making a general offer for all of Haeco's remaining shares due to the stake increase, but the SFC rejected its application.

Swire now owns 33.5% of Haeco, while 39.98%-owned Cathay Pacific has a 27.45% holding in Haeco.

The SFC published its ruling on the application Monday.

"In view of the likely speculation about a possible offer for Haeco arising from the publication of the ruling (from the SFC), the company announces that it does not intend to proceed with the proposed transactions or to make a general offer for Haeco," Swire said.

Based on Haeco's current market capitalization of HK$11.29 billion, the stake sale would have been worth HK$841.1 million.

According to the SFC ruling, Swire had considered putting a proposal to buy the Haeco stake from Cathay Pacific so that the carrier could "realize a portion of its interest in Haeco at a price in excess of the current market price."

Swire spokeswoman Maisie Shun Wah said the proposal was aimed at boosting Swire's stake in Haeco, adding Cathay Pacific had no funding needs.

Last week, Cathay Pacific said it still expects "disappointing" 2008 results as a result of large fuel hedging losses and weaker revenue.

The airline's fuel hedging losses widened to HK$7.6 billion at the end of 2008 from HK$2.8 billion at the end of October, because crude oil prices continued to decline substantially.

Cathay Pacific also got approval last week from the Hong Kong Airport Authority to delay construction of a new air cargo terminal in order to save costs.

阿聯酋航空$840飛曼谷
4 February 2009
星島日報

泰國曼谷是香港人最愛的旅遊勝地之一，若你正打算在今個春日到當地偷閒，那便不可錯過阿聯酋航空在今天開售的曼谷特惠機票。由今天（2月4日）開始，直至2月9日這六天內，大家便可透過阿聯酋航空網站，以840港元的超值價格，購得適用於今天至3月31日出發的阿聯酋航空來回香港及曼谷的經濟客位特惠機票，值得一提是所有選乘阿聯酋航空往返香港的旅客，所購機票價格已毋須另付燃油附加費，令所付的840港元來回票價顯得更見超值。此外，訂購這款優惠機票的客人，同時也可得享全額 Skywards飛行里數及額外里數獎賞，有興趣了解更多及免費登記成為Skywards會員，不妨登入Skywards網站查看。

China Southern adjusts down jet fuel surcharges on Hong Kong, Macao routes

BEIJING, Feb.6 (Xinhua) – China's largest airline company by fleet-size, China Southern Airlines has adjusted down its jet fuel surcharges on routes from Hong Kong and Macao to the Chinese Mainland as of Feb.1.

It is learnt that jet fuel surcharges for flights taking off from Hong Kong and Macao to the Chinese Mainland are adjusted down from 108 Hong Kong dollars to 61 Hong Kong dollars for single journey and from 216 Hong Kong dollars to 122 Hong Kong dollars for return journey.

Jet fuel surcharges for flights taking off from the Chinese Mainland to Hong Kong and Macao remain at 95 yuan for single journey and 190 yuan for return journey.

Airport Authority clears Islamic bond tax hurdle
9 February 2009
South China Morning Post

The Airport Authority has resolved a major hurdle for its planned Islamic bond - how it will be treated for tax purposes - but is waiting for improved market conditions before launching its maiden issue, sources said.

"All the ground work has been done. The structure of the bond and the tax issue are all clear," said a source without elaborating.

Sharia law bans interest income but allows profit sharing. That means Hong Kong's laws that tax profit but not interest income will have to be revamped to make Islamic bonds a worthwhile investment.

The Airport Authority planned to sell Hong Kong's first Islamic bond in the third quarter of last year, a move that could take the city a step closer to establishing itself as an Islamic financial hub. But the issue depended on government approval of tax neutrality for Islamic bonds to make the deal comply with Islamic laws.

A spokeswoman for Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau would not comment on the case, but said the government was actively moving ahead to put in place a platform conducive to developing Islamic finance in Hong Kong.

"An important focus of our work is to pursue technical modifications to our taxation regime in order to deal with the possible differential implications on tax obligations and liabilities which may arise from peculiar structures of sukuk [Islamic bonds]."

The source said many Islamic financial institutions' appetite for Islamic bonds had decreased significantly because of the volatile market and a decline in wealth due to plunging oil prices.

A spokeswoman for the Airport Authority said it supported the issuance of Islamic bonds and looked to become among the first in Hong Kong to issue such bonds at an opportune time.

A banker said many investors were interested in the planned Islamic bond as they were looking for high-quality paper.

The credit rating of the Airport Authority is equivalent to Hong Kong's sovereign rating. "There are many European investment banks actively trying to pitch the deal to act as underwriters," the banker said.

Frank Kwong, chairman of the Asia Capital Market Association, agreed it might not be easy for the Airport Authority to launch its Islamic bond under current market conditions as the cost would be very high.

However, he agreed that it was a good first step that the tax barrier had been removed. "It's a breakthrough to establish the infrastructure, but now it's up to the banks and companies to find investor appetite."

Hactl says air cargo volume drops 30.9 pct in January
10 February 2009
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) Tuesday reported a year on year drop of more than 30 percent in cargo volume handled in January.

The firm, which accounts for about 70 percent of the air cargo business in Hong Kong, said in a statement its cargo volume in January fell 30.9 percent to 142,754 tonnes compared with the same month in 2008.

Import cargo volume for January fell 34.7 percent to 36,631 tonnes year on year, while export fell 32.6 percent to 75,691 tonnes over the same period.

Transshipment tonnage in January fell 20.5 percent to 30,432 tonnes from a year ago.

"The current economic condition has posed a tremendous challenge for the global air cargo market," Lilian Chan, the company's general manager for marketing and customer services, said in a statement.

Hactl would devote "unremitting efforts" to ensure that all its resources were "effectively deployed to support the operations when the market will hopefully be picking up in the latter half of the year," she said.

The group said earlier this month that it was "undergoing an ice age" as the industry was hit hard by a slowdown in trading activities and the global economic crisis.

AAT posts 29% fall in January tonnage

According to Aircargonews Asia, Hong Kong based AAT (Asia Airfreight Terminal) announced its tonnage throughput in the first month of 2009 at 36,443 tonnes, recording a decline of 29 percent compared with the same period last year.

Export cargo registered 23,484 tonnes, a decrease of 29 percent when compared with the same month last year. Import Cargo volume for January was 12,739 tonnes, registering a decline of 28 percent.

Transhipment cargo volume was 220 tonnes, down 15 percent when compared against the corresponding period in 2008.

AAT general manager, planning and services, Nelson Lee said: "2009 is a very challenging year for the aviation sector, the financial downturn across the globe continually affects the economy. AAT will remain committed to work closely with our business partner to maintain Hong Kong's status as a regional and international aviation centre.

Hong Kong airport cargo drops 29 pct
15 February 2009
Agence France Presse

Air cargo through Hong Kong's airport dropped 28.9 percent year-on-year in January, figures showed Sunday, the latest sign of how the global economic slowdown is hitting Chinese exporters.

Cargo tonnage dropped to 210,000 tonnes, the airport authority said in a statement.

Hong Kong is one of the major hubs for exporting items made in southern China's factory belt. Imports from Japan, Europe and Southeast Asia also suffered, the statement said.

Passenger traffic actually increased year-on-year in January by 0.2 percent to 4.0 million passengers, although the increase could have been due to the early Chinese New Year this year, a popular time for travel.

The number of visitors from North America and Europe saw a double-digit decline from the previous year.

The overall number of flights in and out of Hong Kong fell 2.0 percent to 24,245.

"The aviation industry is a reflection of the general economic situation and the declines we are experiencing... are largely consistent with what is happening with the global economy," Stanley Hui, chief executive officer of the Airport Authority, said.

"As companies continue to keep a tight rein on their business activities and consumers on their spending, drops in air traffic figures covering passenger, cargo and aircraft movements will likely continue."

A rush to fill the Italian gap
16 February 2009
International Freighting Weekly

Cargoitalia ceased flying last autumn after less than two years, while Alitalia failed to find a buyer for its freighter operations in time for the airline's relaunch under new ownership last month, leading to the grounding of its five MD-11Fs.

The failure of home-grown cargo carriers may have presented challenges to Italian shippers and forwarders, but it has been a rare piece of good news for rival carriers, anxious to find new, stronger markets following recent declines in volumes worldwide.

Alitalia's cargo volumes had been sliding for some time. Traffic dropped around 35% last April, when the carrier moved some passenger flights from Malpensa airport to neighbouring Fiumicino. By December, with its future still uncertain, Alitalia's volumes were down around 75% year-on-year.

The lost business went to rival airlines operating in the Milan market, although a lot also was trucked to other European stations. Germany's Lufthansa Cargo claims to have become the biggest air freight carrier in the Italian market during this time.

Since the grounding of Alitalia's freighters, Cargolux, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa have all announced new freighter services into Milan. Cathay is doubling its Hong Kong-Malpensa frequencies to six a week.

Lufthansa Cargo is to begin scheduled long-haul operations from Italy this month, taking advantage of the new open skies agreement that allows EU airlines to fly from any member state to any point in the US. It will fly twice-weekly MD-11Fs between Milan, New York and Chicago.

Cargolux has already started weekly B747-400 freighter services on the same rotation, also taking advantage of the liberalised air services rules.

"That is really because of the vacuum left by Alitalia, " says its senior VP for sales and marketing, Robert van de Weg.

But Cargolux's plans for the Italian market go further, and include setting up a separate airline and hub in Italy. It has already applied for an air operating licence (AOC), a business licence and certification for Cargolux Italia with Enac, the Italian civil aviation authority.

Van de Weg says Cargolux had been looking for around two years at increasing its presence in the Italian market. "We looked at buying Cargoitalia in summer 2008, but someone else snapped it up, " he says.

"We look at this as an alternative. But the fact that the local carrier was in trouble gave us some additional motivation." In many cases it is possible to truck cargo from Italy to be flown from northern European hubs, such as Cargolux's in Luxembourg.

"But for certain traffic flows, a northern European hub is just not good enough, " says van de Weg.

"Italy is the obvious location, because it is the second largest market in Europe after Germany. We think we can offer more to customers and be more competitive." But why does it need an Italian AOC, now that the EU is able to negotiate traffic rights on behalf of member states as a bloc?

Van de Weg says that, although the EU mandate is effective for air services to the US, many other countries still deal with EU countries on individual basis, with traffic rights granted on a bilateral basis.

Cargolux already operates "feeder" flights – B747 services originating in Luxembourg, but flying via Milan to markets including Hong Kong and Japan. "What we are doing is building on these, " he says. "But these feeder flights are an expensive solution. We may still do feeder flights, but this [Cargolux Italia] is another tool we can use.

"It is a big step, but for us it is just another step in building on our Italian presence. It is not going to be a massive thing – it is just making the whole thing more efficient." The plan, initially, is for Cargolux to dry-lease one of its 16 B747-400 freighters to Cargolux Italia.

"That is it for now – we will go from there, " says van de Weg.

He is unable to say where Cargolux Italia will fly, in part so as not to reveal too much to competitors. "We still have to decide and that is subject to the route rights that we get, " he adds.

The aim is to launch flights in April, once the airline has received its AOC and the necessary traffic rights.

"We think that is realistic, " says van de Weg. "If it is one or two months later, that is not life-threatening." Nevertheless, he acknowledges that it would be good to get the Italian subsidiary up and running before Alitalia's freighters re-enter the market under new ownership. This is expected to take place by the summer, assuming the attempts by the new owner of Cargoitalia – Alis Aerolinee Italiane – to buy Alitalia's freighter operations are successful.

台灣機票連民宿優惠價1299港元
18 February 2009
頭條日報

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台灣觀光協會香港辦事處主任王春寶表示，希望透過今次的優惠，將休閒農場推廣成香港遊客短線旅遊的首選之一。報名人士另添加一元，更可獲台北捷運日票、免費浸溫泉券及港幣一百八十元的農莊美食兌換券。據台灣觀光局統計，去年港澳遊客增長達兩成六，預計今年更達六十五萬人，為台灣帶來近五百億元港幣收益。

Night flights may pass closer to Disco Bay to cut Ma Wan noise
17 February 2009
South China Morning Post

Civil aviation officials will look into reducing aircraft noise at Ma Wan by "fine-tuning" a night flight path that may take more flights closer to Discovery Bay and Disneyland.

But the potential impact of noise brought by rerouting flights closer to Discovery Bay and other areas and the safety implications were also sources of concern, the Civil Aviation Department said in a paper submitted to the legislature yesterday.

A consultant would be hired to look into the proposal, it said. Study results are expected at the year's end.

"The consultant will study the aircraft noise impact of introducing an earlier turn in Ma Wan and adjacent populated areas such as Discovery Bay and Peng Chau," a department spokesman said. "Due to the terrain of northeastern Lantau, introducing earlier south turns may bring about safety concerns too."

Residents on Park Island in Ma Wan have complained about excessive aircraft noise, particularly between 11pm and 7am.

In the existing night flight path, planes taking off from Chek Lap Kok towards the northeast have to turn south towards West Lamma Channel when they reach Lantau's northeastern corner, if safety conditions allow.

The south turn had been introduced to avoid aircraft flying directly over Ma Wan and Kowloon to minimise noise. Other mitigation measures included banning noisy planes and requiring aircraft to climb higher right after takeoff.

But Ma Wan residents said the arrangements were too little to address their plight. They have demanded an earlier south turn, when the aircraft near Sunny Bay.

Park Island's monitoring station in 2007 recorded nearly 8,000 cases of noise exceeding the legal limit of 70 decibels - the highest among 16 stations manned by the department across the city.

The department said it had no plan to change the 1,200-metre flight limit over Disneyland, which Ma Wan residents had said might make the rerouting possible.

Albert Chan Wai-yip, a legislator from the League of Social Democrats who represents the New Territories West constituency and has been helping Ma Wan residents with the noise issue, cautiously welcomed the study. "The department should take the study seriously and avoid manipulating the outcome to justify doing nothing."

China Southern Air Cuts Fuel Surcharge On HK Route By 43%
19 February 2009

BEIJING (Dow Jones)--China Southern Airlines Co. (ZNH), the country's largest by fleet size, said it is cutting its fuel surcharge on flights from mainland China to Hong Kong to CNY54 from CNY95.

The change takes effect Friday, the airline said in a statement to ticketing agencies dated Thursday.

The fuel-surcharge cut on the Hong Kong route is the same as that made earlier this month by Air China Ltd. (0753.HK) and China Eastern Airlines Corp. (CEA), according to a report by the official Xinhua News Agency last week.

Cash `no problem' as Lau opts for two private jets
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Chinese Estates (0127) chairman Joseph Lau Luen-hung has canceled his order for a private Boeing jet and instead plumped for a pair of Gulfstream G650 planes because of their higher capacity, market sources told East Week, sister publication of The Standard.

Reports that Lau rescinded the Boeing order, which has been delayed for three years, because his wealth has declined amid the financial tsunami are groundless and he is "absolutely not unable to afford" the plane, sources close to the private aircraft market said.

They said Lau ordered the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for more than HK$1.2 billion in May 2007 and it was expected to be delivered in 2014.

But Boeing recently put back the delivery date to 2017 and Lau decided to cancel the deal. He will get his deposit back because Boeing cannot deliver the plane on time.

Given the size of his family, Lau instead ordered two Gulfstream G650s for about HK$1.1 billion in the first half of last year because the two planes were more convenient, the sources said. The two jets are expected to be delivered between 2016 and 2017.

Many Hong Kong tycoons own Gulfstream jets, including Henderson Land Development (0012) chairman Lee Shau-kee, New World Development (0017) chairman Cheng Yu-tung, Lai Sun Development (0488) chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok and fung shui master Tony Chan Chun- chuen.

Gulfstream G650s have a top speed of about 1,100 kilometers an hour, can carry up to 18 passengers and travel up to 7,000 nautical miles per fill up, according to Gulfstream.

Apart from enjoying flights, Lau sees private planes as an investment. He made a profit of about HK$300 million on the sales of a Bombardier Express XRS and a Boeing BBJ jet that he bought in 2005, sources said.

Lau is the fifth-richest person in Hong Kong with net wealth of US$4 billion, according to Forbes magazine.

Call for travel surcharge review
24 February 2009
South China Morning Post

The government should review the collection of air passenger departure taxes and fuel surcharges, which are the responsibility of airlines but are collected by travel agents on their behalf, a travel industry group says.

The collection mechanism is a long-standing issue for travel agents because the government only compensates airlines, not agents, for costs incurred in the collection of fees.

At a meeting of a Legislative Council panel on economic development, the chief executive of the Concern Group of Travel Industry in Hong Kong, Tim Lee, also said the government should halt fuel surcharges from April 1.

Travel agents are seeking to recover administration costs from the government relating to their collection of various fees for airlines over the past six years. Costs were estimated at 7 per cent of the fees collected, Mr Lee said.

But Stephen Kwok Kwai-yuen, assistant director general of civil aviation responsible for air services, said that because airlines were responsible for the various fees, they should be reimbursed for costs. The government pays airlines 2.322 per cent of the total fees collected.

Ronnie Ho Pak-ting, chairman of the Travel Industry Council, noted that fees were often paid in foreign currencies, which could mean losses for the agents.

James Tong, an executive committee member of the Board of Airline Representatives in Hong Kong, said the government "should review the present level of administrative fee".

Crew quizzed as 6.4kg gold stash found on Vietnam Airlines flight
15 February 2009
South China Morning Post

Vietnamese authorities discovered almost 6.4kg of gold bars stashed in the cockpit of a Vietnam Airlines flight from Hong Kong to Hanoi last week - and no one would admit owning them.

Police found the gold in the co-pilot's seat on flight VN791 which arrived at 3pm from Hong Kong on February 11.

The crew - a Polish captain, two Vietnamese co-pilots and seven flight attendants - denied any knowledge of the HK$1.6 million haul when questioned by police.

Polish captain Gerard Kolanowski, co-pilot Trinh Quoc Chien and apprentice Nguyen Thanh Trung were suspended pending investigation, the Thanh Nien Daily reported.

An official from Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport said authorities were probably tipped off about the gold because investigators boarded immediately after the plane landed.

Under Vietnam's airline regulations, passengers entering the country cannot carry jewellery worth more than 5 million Vietnamese dong (HK$2,300), and passengers must obtain a gold import licence if they have gold exceeding this amount.

The airline allows pilots and flight attendant to carry goods, including gold, into Vietnam only once a month and limits the value of such goods to 5 million dong.

Vietnam Airlines released a statement on Thursday saying it would take appropriate action against any staff found to be involved in the shipment, Thanh Nien Daily reported.

Koo Tong-fat, director of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Co, said 6.4kg of gold was worth about HK$1.6 million.

"A small jewellery firm may transport its gold by staff taking flights to other countries, but a big firm must transport its goods by cargo flight," Mr Koo said.

Hong Kong Customs said passengers departing Chek Lap Kok airport were not required to declare gold they possess.

Gold smuggling into Vietnam has increased as the price has surged in the past six months.

The Vietnamese government temporarily suspended all gold imports in June last year to support the depreciating dong.

Vietnamese investors have rushed to buy gold as a hedge against inflation.

日航港空姐需每月放５日無薪假，連卡佛高盛相繼傳出裁員
25 February 2009
經濟通新聞

日本航空公司（ＪＡＬ）上周五（２０日）發出內部通告，要求逾２００名本港空姐３月起每月放五日無薪假，為期半年，其他部門員工則不受影響。日航發言人指，有關決定是基於營運情況出現轉變，公司今年９月會檢討是否需要進一步推出開源節流措施。

連鎖時裝名店連卡佛與投資銀行高盛亦傳出快將有大規模裁員行動，據悉連卡佛最快今日裁減２００人，並取消部分有薪假期。兩公司都對裁員消息不予置評。

港深機場鐵路接駁意義大
27 February 2009
中國新聞社

深圳政協委員、香港機場避理局行政總裁許漢忠在出席政協深圳市四屆五次會議時稱，由深港政府主導的港深機場鐵路接駁項目，其意義不亞于港珠澳大橋。

港深機場鐵路接駁項目是由香港智經研究中心與０７年８月在《建構港深都會》的研究報告中提出的。其思路是通過軌道交通連接深圳機場和香港機場，結合香港國際機場柄際航空網絡和深圳機場在內地航空網絡的力量，優勢互補、互惠互利。

該鐵路建成后，在深圳機場與北上東莞、廣州的城際接駁，在香港內部可能會與西鐵連接。該鐵路將經停深圳前海區，在前海區將興建較大規模的相應城市候機樓和有關出入境設施，并在此由多條地鐵線路連接深圳市區。

許漢忠表示，便捷的跨境軌道交通，無疑為深港兩地的經濟和社會發展提供一個重要的平臺。許漢忠透露，香港機管局現正積極配合政府，就“機場─軌道─機場”的運營模式、實際運作流程的可行性，以及軌道建成后對機場客流量帶來的影響等，做進一步的調研。

Rolls-Royce, HK Airlines announce 1.2 bln dollar deal
27 February 2009
Agence France Presse

Britain's Rolls-Royce on Friday signed a 1.2-billion-dollar (950-million-euro) deal to supply engines to Hong Kong Airlines' new fleet of Airbus A330 jets, the companies said.

The deal, which also includes a service contract, formed the bulk of 1.9 billion dollars' worth of agreements signed by British and Chinese firms on the final leg of a Chinese trade delegation tour of Europe.

British Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said: "In this challenging global climate, China represents a great opportunity for UK business.

"By 2010 its market could account for over two trillion dollars of global imports and exports."

Representatives from more than 200 Chinese companies signed a number of high-profile deals on their sweep through Europe, including more than 10 billion dollars of tie-ups with German firms.

The trip has been hailed by Beijing as proof of its non-protectionist stance.

Singapore Airlines' departure a sign of turmoil in Asia
Cut of Vancouver route comes as surprise to those in industry
23 February 2009
Vancouver Sun

Aficionados are reeling from news that Singapore Airlines is axing its 20-year-old service to Vancouver.

"We just got an e-mail that they are cancelling their flight. We never guessed it could happen," said Ravinder Gaba, a Vancouver-based travel agent who specializes in South Asia.

"I have talked to other agents and no one saw it coming. They have been here for so long. And it is a surprise, because it is a big name."

By that, Gaba means that the airline has long described itself as the world's heftiest by market cap; analysts have oft-lauded it as the best run and most profitable; and industry reviewers have consistently voted it No. 1 in many surveys.

But, of course, the mighty are stumbling all around the world and this example, in particular, gives B.C. consumers a front-seat view of the turmoil in Asia's hardest-hit economies.

While China, India and Japan have hogged most recession-in-Asia headlines, this is a rare line into Singapore and Korea.

Even before the global credit crisis, Singapore was running out of steam, according to economist Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, who is based there. "Its so-called non-oil domestic exports plunged in early 2008, largely due to its badly managed currency policy. The Singapore dollar stayed too high for too long, sapping the competitiveness of its electronic exports, and when overseas demand collapsed, the entire sector that was weak to begin with got wiped out.

"On top of it all, Temasek, the state-owned investment fund, has lost about $50 billion US in the last three years," said Hedrick-Wong in an e-mail.

Until recently, it was "run by the prime minister's wife, who is now being replaced by [Chip Goodyear] the former CEO of Australian mining company BHP. So, no stone is left unturned to improve profitability of all the state owned businesses, Singapore Airlines included."

[b]The Vancouver cut is "very sad news for me personally, as I am a frequent user of that connection," said Hedrick-Wong. He will switch over to Cathay Pacific Airways and travel via its home base in Hong Kong. Others plan to do the same when making travel plans to India, said Gaba.

There are definitely a number of other options via airlines that go through Taipei and even Frankfurt, "but Singapore used to be our gateway to Southeast Asia and South Asia," the same way Hong Kong serves mainland China, said Gaba. "It won't be the case anymore."

The Singapore-Vancouver flight picked up as much as 40 per cent of its passengers each way on a stopover in Seoul, Korea, according to Andrew Budiman, Vancouver-based vice-president Canada at Singapore Airlines.

Unfortunately, this is another Asian market that has been particularly hard hit, according to The Economist. It recently specifically singled out both Singapore and Korea in a roundup of the region's worst woes, saying that "in the fourth quarter of 2008, real GDP fell by an annualized rate of 21 per cent in South Korea and 17 per cent in Singapore."

It pointed out that: "South Korea is an exception to the rule of Asian prudence. Its households' debt amounts to 150 per cent of disposable income, even higher than in America. The banking system, which borrowed heavily abroad to finance a surge in domestic lending, has also been badly hit by the global credit crunch, making it harder for firms to finance investment."

Now, following the Vancouver announcement, Singapore Airlines said last week that it plans to cut capacity even further by 11 per cent from the preceding 12 months. So far, it hasn't said exactly which other destinations will go or be reduced.

There is a global slowdown, but the outlook definitely seems more dire for Asia-Pacific airlines. So far, at least, international passenger numbers have dropped more steeply for Asia-Pacific carriers than their counterparts.

For December 2008, Asia-Pacific airlines recorded a 9.7-per-cent decline in traffic compared to just 2.7 per cent for European and 4.3 per cent for North American airlines. Asia Pacific carriers account for 45 per cent of the world's cargo traffic and again, they led declines here, though more modestly. Singapore Airlines said its own cargo numbers have dropped over 20 per cent.

At Cathay Pacific Airways, which expects to pick up some incremental traffic from Singapore Airlines' leaving Vancouver, spokeswoman Jennifer Pearson said: "You never like to see it happen. The market conditions are difficult. There is no question of this [because of] the worldwide economy we are facing at the minute.

"We have seen a softening in our business in first class travel, but the economy class is holding up quite well. We have less flights than last year. We had three flights a day; we now have two. We are very competitive right now.

"That is the name of the game."

More shops close in Terminal Two amid drop in visitors
3 March 2009
South China Morning Post

More shops at Chek Lap Kok airport's Terminal Two have closed, increasing the number of vacant lots at the shopping mall to more than 10 per cent of the total.

Eleven out of 100 shops on levels five and six of the terminal's SkyPlaza were closed after a period of less-than-average visitor flow. But in the passenger-packed Terminal One, all shops have been leased out.

A sales assistant at a boutique in Terminal Two said business was miserable and that they only had one or two transactions a day. "Every shop in this terminal is like that. No one seems to know that this terminal exists," she said, adding that business at other branches in the city was much better than at the terminal.

The mall was virtually empty after 6pm. "There are too few check-in counters here, and most passengers walk back to Terminal One after checking in," she said.

But there were more visitors on weekends, as local tours came through or Tung Chung residents visited for lunch. "Restaurants here are slightly cheaper than those in Tung Chung. But eaters rarely stay around to shop," she said, adding that she hoped the Airport Authority would do more to promote the terminal.

An assistant at another boutique said most shoppers did not know where Terminal Two was, and that they preferred shopping after passing through immigration checkpoints.

"Most passengers are in a hurry. They only relax and shop once they have entered the restricted area," she said.

A local couple said it was the third time they had visited Terminal Two. "This side of the airport is less crowded, so we like to hang around here. Sometimes we dine at the restaurants, but we never buy things," the husband said.

A visitor from Shanghai said that although he used Hong Kong airport quite frequently, it was his first visit to Terminal Two.

"I never knew there was another terminal. It seems like just another shopping centre," he said.

An Airport Authority spokeswoman said relief programmes had been offered to all shops at Terminal Two, and that five marketing campaigns had been launched since the end of last year to stimulate visitor flow. She said new campaigns were scheduled to begin in the middle of the month.

Terminal Two opened in February 2007. It handles check-in services for about a dozen airlines and 10 per cent of all departing passengers, according to the Airport Authority. After checking in, passengers need to take an automated walkway to Terminal One as all gates are located there.

HK'S HACTL BECOMES WORLD'S FIRST TO OBTAIN ISAGO REGISTRATION

HONG KONG, March 5 Asia Pulse - Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) Wednesday announced that it has become the world's first air cargo terminal operator obtaining Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) registration from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Upon the successful completion of the corporate and station audits, which were held in May and in October respectively last year, Hactl demonstrated operational and service integrity in conformity with ISAGO standards.

Commenting on Hactl's effort, Director Program Implementation and Auditing of IATA Mike O'Brien said the company has taken a pioneering role in embracing ISAGO, which helps in promoting and ensuring high-levels of security and safety throughout the whole air cargo handling process.

"We believe that ISAGO is the solution for ground handlers to reduce accidents and injuries, contributing to cost saving and further efficiency among the industry players," said O'Brien.

Hactl's Director of Service Delivery Kenneth Bell said that safety excellence and quality standards are key priorities of Hactl.

亞航擬拓香港布吉綫
7 March 2009
星島日報

有廉價航空在金融海嘯下逆市擴張，以馬來西亞為據點的亞洲航空，積極開拓東南亞和中國市場，去年客量達一千八百萬人次，較前年上升兩成，航機食物和紀念品等非票務收入更勁升七成。亞航更研究新增香港往返布吉的新航綫，但由於香港停泊成本較高，所以亦有考慮澳門和廣州兩個航點。

亞航高級副總裁陳凱霖對布吉綫相當樂觀，正研究在布吉開設航空樞紐，構思開設香港往返布吉航綫，每日對開一班。但由於香港停泊成本較高，又要爭取到有利航班升降時間，唯有兩手準備，同時考慮由澳門或廣州開往布吉，地點三選一。

她說開辦初期有震撼優惠價，甚至免費機票。正價機票是市面最高票價的兩至三成，以一般香港來回布吉機票約三千元計算，即亞航只需約五百至九百元。

另外，亞航又計畫今年三、四月加開吉隆坡往返香港班次，由每日兩班增至三班。亞航近年積極開拓東南亞和中國城市，稍後開設天津往返吉隆坡。去年整體客量為一千八百萬人次，較前年增加三百萬人次。記者 吳雋妍

New Hong Kong International Airport Website Wins Two International Awards
Press Release

(HONG KONG, 1 March 2009) The new Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) website, launched in July 2008, has gained international acclaim by winning two awards that commend outstanding websites.

In the Eighth Annual International iNOVA 2008 Awards Competition, the judging panel comprised of some 40 top internet professionals named the revamped HKIA website the Gold winner in the Corporate Website (Transport Services) category. The competition received more than 200 entries from 10 countries in 2008. HKIA website was praised for its excellence in concept, content, creativity, ease of navigation, design, functionality and its overall success in achieving the goals of the company.

The website also scored the Outstanding Achievement Award in the annual Interactive Media Awards (Travel/ Tourism category) for achieving a very high standard of planning, execution and overall professionalism. After reviewing over 2,800 entries, the 48 judges – mainly leaders in web design, advertising, public relations, publishing and news industries – said the HKIA website excelled in all areas of the evaluation criteria, namely design, content, feature functionality, usability, standards compliance and cross-browser compatibility. HKIA is the first airport to obtain the honour.

As part of the Airport Authority’s continuous efforts to enhance its services and facilities, the new HKIA website features a user-friendly design with enhanced information architecture and easy navigation flow. Recording over one million visits every month, the HKIA website is an important information platform for travellers, business partners, journalists and other airport stakeholders. The Airport Authority gauged the views of over 2,000 public users prior to launching the new website.

The revamped website also accommodates the needs of the visually impaired, enabling easy navigation using screen reader and screen enlarging software.

The iNOVA Awards is held annually to recognise website excellence. The New York-based organiser, MerComm, Inc., was founded in 1987 with the purpose of encouraging a high standard of communications.

The Interactive Media Awards is primarily sponsored and governed by Interactive Media Council, Inc., a non-profit making organisation of leading web designers, developers, programmers, advertisers and other web-related professionals. The Awards recognises individuals and organisations for exceptional achievement in website design and development.

For more information about the two awards, please go to
http://www.interactivemediaawards.com/
http://www.mercommawards.com/iNova%20pages/Winner%20pages/winners.htm

Hong Kong air cargo throughput drops 26.9 pct in Jan-Feb

HONG KONG, March 10 (Reuters) - Air cargo throughput via Hong Kong plunged 26.9 percent in January and February from a year earlier as global demand for Asian goods tumbled, data from Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd showed on Tuesday.

For February alone, throughput was down 22 percent from a year ago, improving from a 30.9 percent drop in January. However, since there were fewer working days in January this year due to the Lunar New Year holiday, data for the two months' needs to be combined, analysts said.

Hong Kong is a re-export centre for trade between Asia and the rest of the world.

The data showed that air cargo volumes through Hong Kong in January and February totalled 276,378 tonnes.

Breakdown of air cargo handled by Hactl in February:
February 2009 Jan-Feb 2009
Tonnage Yr/Yr Tonnage Yr/Yr
(tonnes) growth (pct) (tonnes) growth (pct)
Export 64,546 -25.3 140,237 -29.4
Import 38,587 -20.0 75,218 -27.9
Transshipment 30,491 -17.0 60,923 -18.8
---------------------------------------------------------
Total 133,624 -22.0 276,378 -26.9

Traffic Volumes at HKIA Continue to Decline Due to Global Economic Downturn
Press Release

(HONG KONG, 15 March 2009) – Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) handled 3.4 million passenger trips and moved 198,000 tonnes of cargo in February, representing decreases of 13.7% and 19.7% from the same month of 2008 respectively. Year-on-year, aircraft movements declined 10.5% to 21,235.

Both local resident and visitor traffic were weak during the month. The number of local travellers declined over 20% from February 2008, mainly because the Chinese New Year travel peak fell in January this year whereas the corresponding peak was in February last year. Visitor traffic, particularly from long-haul markets like North America and Europe and regional markets such as North Asia and Taiwan, also reported double-digit decreases.

On the cargo front, most of HKIA's major markets continued to record double-digit decreases during the month. However, as manufacturing activities started to resume after the Chinese New Year holidays, the magnitude of the declines, particularly for North America, Mainland and Taiwan markets, was smaller compared to January.

Stanley Hui Hon-chung, Chief Executive Officer of the Airport Authority, said, "Aggregate figures for January and February, which even out the seasonal impact of Chinese New Year, give a better account for the year-on-year comparison. The combined figures show that the airport has served a total of 7.4 million passengers, moved 408,000 tonnes of cargo and handled 45,480 aircraft movements during the first two months of 2009. These represent reductions of 6.7%, 24.7% and 6.2% respectively in comparison with the same period last year.

"Both February's statistics and the combined figures for the last two months show that air traffic volumes continue to suffer from the global economic downturn. It is unlikely that this downward trend will reverse in the short term when the world’s major economies remain in recession. While decline in the total cargo volumes of January and February was less severe than the previous months, it is too early to suggest that the air cargo market has stabilised."

On a rolling 12-month basis, cargo throughput decreased 7.5% year-on-year to 3.5 million tonnes. While passenger volume dropped slightly by 1.0% to 48 million, air traffic movements rose marginally by 0.1%, to 298,190.

Cheap trips may give agents break
19 March 2009
Hong Kong Standard

Travel agents trying to avoid staff layoffs as a result of the financial downturn hope cheaper tours will attract more customers.

Travel agency revenue has fallen by 30 percent and Travel Industry Council chairman Ronnie Ho Pak-ting said yesterday layoffs are inevitable if business worsens.

``So far, no leading travel agent has indicated it plans to lay off staff,'' he said.

Ho said advance bookings for Easter tours stood at a satisfactory 60 percent, though this does not necessarily translate into earnings as many tours, while cheaper, have the same overheads.

``Everything is cheaper now since the demand for hotel rooms and plane seats has slowed. It was so difficult to secure seats for customers last year but now there are lots available,'' he said.

Mainland and Japanese routes are popular this year, but the market for mid-priced tours continues to shrink because customers have either opted for cheaper tours or found other luxury tours more appealing.

An eight-to-10-day Eastern European tour that cost at least HK$12,000 last year is now HK$6,000.

Although travel sentiment has been upheld by the reduction in tour costs and weakened foreign currencies, travel agency revenue has shrunk by 20 to 30 percent, Ho said. The trade is very labor- intensive and earnings are marginal.

At the same time, Ho said he does not know why the Walt Disney Company laid off 30 designers and engineers involved in expansion plans at Hong Kong Disneyland. But he does not think it will affect daily operations at the park.

He also welcomes the decision of Shaolin Temple to set up a branch in the city. He said it will be beneficial to Hong Kong in the long run _ and Lantau will prove a good location.

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific and All Nippon Airways have applied to extend the current fuel surcharge of HK$61 for short-haul flights and HK$280 for long-haul flights. The result will be known next week.

Seven HK flights affected by crash
24 March 2009
South China Morning Post

The Hong Kong Airport Authority said the plane crash at Narita airport had affected seven flights between Hong Kong and Tokyo yesterday, with four cancelled.

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways cancelled JL832 and NH910 that were scheduled to leave Hong Kong, and two incoming flights, JL731 and NH909.

Another flight, JL736, destined for Tokyo was rerouted to Nagoya yesterday morning while two other morning flights were delayed for about an hour.

Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung said the crash would have a slight impact on Hong Kong tours in Japan - a popular destination for Hongkongers.

Hactl welcomes the first new customer in 2009 – Grandstar Cargo
Press Release

(20 March 2009, Hong Kong) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) is pleased to announce that Grandstar Cargo International Airlines Co. Ltd ("Grandstar Cargo") becomes our first customer in 2009. Further to the launch of Tianjin – Frankfurt scheduled freighter service in summer 2008, Grandstar Cargo inaugurated its enhanced route of Tianjin – Hong Kong – Tianjin – Frankfurt yesterday, operating 3 flights per week.

Grandstar Cargo has appointed Hactl's one-stop-shop service for cargo handling at the Hong Kong International Airport, including physical cargo handling, air cargo documentation, ramp handling services, as well as our newly introduced crew transport service.

Ms. Lilian Chan, General Manager, Marketing and Customer Service of Hactl said, "We are very pleased to extend our warmest welcome to Grandstar Cargo as our first new customer this year. We shall work closely with Grandstar Cargo and all our business partners in the midst of the current economy environment, ensuring our customers are enabled to meet the challenges ahead and pick up the growth engine the fastest when time comes."

Mr. Lee Kwangsa, Chief Executive Officer of Grandstar Cargo said, "We are very happy to have Hactl as our partner in Hong Kong. Grandstar Cargo is the first China carrier to operate scheduled non-stop flights connecting Europe with its base and headquarters in Tianjin. That's why we require a reliable business partner to establish our business in Hong Kong, providing quality service standards and supporting our upcoming developments. I look forward to growing our long-term and successful partnership with Hactl."

4航空公司 減燃油附加費
26 March 2009
文匯報

【本報訊】隨著國際燃油回落，航空公司徵收的燃油附加費亦逐步下調，昨日民航處批准4間航空公司調低客運燃油附加費，短途減幅介乎14.7%至36%不等，最高徵收52元；長途減幅則介乎4.4%至14.6%，最高徵收239元。新收費有效期由下月1日至5月31日。

獲調整燃油附加費的航空公司包括全日本航空、國泰、尼泊爾、星加坡航空公司。以國泰為例，短途燃油附加費由61元減至52元，長途則由280元減至239元(見表)，有關附加費會以發出機票日期為準。民航處發言人表示，相比國際上航空公司所收取燃油附加費的平均水平，本地航線所收取的附加費維持較低水平。

Aviation passenger fuel surcharges adjusted
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Government Press Release

The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) today (March 25) gave approval for passenger fuel surcharges levied by four airlines to be reduced for the period from April 1 to May 31.

The new maximum levels of fuel surcharges will be $52 for short-haul flights and $239 for long-haul flights, which represent a reduction of about 15% from the current maximum levels for both short and long haul flights. The applicable surcharge levels are based on the ticket issue date. (These airlines and their newly approved fuel surcharge levels are listed in the Annex.)

It is an international practice for airlines to levy passenger fuel surcharges. A CAD spokesman said, "When compared with the average amounts of surcharges at international level, the surcharges on the local routes remain at a lower level.

"Fuel surcharges are a type of aviation tariff which requires the approval of the relevant aeronautical authorities before they can be levied," the CAD spokesman added.

When dealing with the latest applications for levying fuel surcharges, CAD has followed the same approach, having regard to changes in the prices of aviation fuel, the justifications provided by the airline operators, and other relevant factors such as the charges levied by other airlines. This approach has been consistently followed in dealing with fuel surcharge applications (which are submitted every two months), regardless of whether the oil prices are on the increase or decrease.

Passenger fuel surcharges are reviewed and adjusted regularly by the CAD. The last review was done at the end of January when the maximum surcharge levels approved by CAD were $61 for short-haul flights and $280 for long-haul flights.

Lighter burn forces emergency landing
3 April 2009
Hong Kong Standard

A passenger who fooled around with a cigarette lighter forced a Tokyo-bound Boeing 757 to return to Hong Kong for an emergency landing yesterday.

The Air Nippon Flight NH126 was one hour into the four-hour journey when a passenger complained of a burning smell.

A burn mark was found on a seat cover, and a disposable lighter was found under a seat.

The captain was informed and he immediately turned the aircraft around and requested an emergency landing.

None of the 188 passengers and 10 crew was injured.

It is not known who burned the seat. The aircraft was declared safe after an inspection, and took off again.

British, Chinese firms seal major aviation deal
27 February 2009
Agence France Presse

A 1.2 billion dollar deal between British jet engine maker Rolls-Royce and Hainan Airlines of China was announced Friday as British and Chinese firms signed deals worth up to 1.9 billion dollars.

The announcements, sealed at a ceremony in London attended by China's Trade Minister Chen Deming and Britain's Business Secretary Peter Mandelson, came on the last leg of a Chinese trade tour of Europe.

The 1.2 billion dollar (950 million euro) deal is for the purchase of Rolls-Royce jet engines and a service contract for Hong Kong Airlines planes, it was announced.

Afterwards, Chen said all the deals underlined China and Britain's joint commitment to the "fight against protectionism."

"We're probably facing the most serious economic situation ever since the Great Depression," he said.

China's economy "is also seriously negatively affected" and the situation "unprecedented", the minister said.

In a warning against protectionism, he added: "We should also realise there is no coordination between these stimulus packages and some countries are working to protect their own national interests."

Relying on a handful of large economies to pull the world out of trouble was not enough, he said, urging cooperation.

Representatives from Chinese companies signed a number of high-profile deals on their sweep through Europe, including more than 10 billion dollars of tie-ups with German firms. The visit also took in Spain and Switzerland.

The European Union is China's largest trading partner, its most important source for technology imports and its largest export destination, while China is the EU's second-largest trading partner.

On the final leg of the visit, representatives from hundreds of British firms met a delegation of around 150 Chinese companies including Baoshan Iron and Steel, China Construction Bank and Bank of China.

Around ten deals in total were also signed in London including smaller ones between steelmaker Corus, owned by India's Tata Steel, and the Chinese Petroleum Company for the supply of pipes, and a supply contract between Jaguar Land Rover, owned by Tata Motors, and SCAS Investment Group.

The headline figure of 1.9 billion dollars was supplied by UK Trade and Investment, the government body which helps British business abroad.

"I warmly welcome the deals signed today. This is an excellent sign for the future," said Mandelson.

"In this challenging global climate, China represents a great opportunity for UK business.

"By 2010 its market could account for over two trillion dollars of global imports and exports."

Community Project for the HK Airport and Tung Chung, the town close the airport.

HK Airport Press Release:
HKIA Teams With Tung Chung Residents to Beautify Tunnels and Rain Shelters (http://hongkongairport.com/eng/media/press-releases/pr_954.html)

斐濟欖球隊投訴澳航訂票出錯
9 April 2009

【太陽報專訊】由於機票上安排出問題，日前在香港的比賽中奪魁的斐濟七人欖球隊，未能齊人返國慶祝，球隊更去信澳洲欖球總會投訴。該隊表示全隊所乘的機票由澳洲航空安排。

球隊經理人投訴他們早前從香港經悉尼飛阿德萊德，轉機時已遇上問題。其後在阿德萊德比賽完，經悉尼返斐濟時，在悉尼又遇上機票問題，兩名隊員和一名隨隊物理治療師未能上機，被迫滯留悉尼，周一返國的大隊獨欠他們三人。另外，澳航旗下的廉航捷星航空公司亦被投訴安排混亂。達爾文女子巴恩斯早在五周前已向捷星預訂本周五往阿德萊德的機票，不過原定坐同一航班的友人獲捷星通知航班已取消，巴恩斯先後兩次致電捷星查問，獲告知航班沒取消。周日捷星才改口確認航班已取消，令她非常惱火。捷星道歉，並稱會調查事件。

Air cargo volume continues to fall
10 April 2009
South China Morning Post

The volume of air cargo handled by the city's biggest operator remains well down from a year ago, but the drop last month was slightly smaller than those in January and February.

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl) said export volumes were down 26.9 per cent year on year in March, at 96,500 tonnes.

Export volume in the first quarter was down 28.4 per cent; exports to the mainland fell the most, plunging 38.4 per cent. Exports to Europe and North America were down nearly 30 per cent in the same period.

A decline in import volumes also continued last month, with a year-on-year drop of nearly 20 per cent. The volume of cargo transshipped via Hong Kong - normally the sector least affected by economic downturns - fell 6.7 per cent year on year.

Hactl's general manager for marketing and customer service, Lilian Chan, said last month's volumes were an improvement on those the company had recorded in the previous few months.

"The March figures came as a minor relief as compared with the sharp tonnage declines registered in the previous months."

Still, she said: "The market outlook remains grim for the rest of 2009, as the global trade market will need more time to recover."

Infrastructure projects such as the logistics park planned for northern Lantau Island have been put on hold amid the global fall in consumer demand for goods.

Other major projects, including the construction of a third terminal and third runway at the airport and a 10th container terminal, are still being studied.

HK Airlines sacks nine pilots objecting to salary cuts
12 April 2009
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong Airlines has fired nine pilots who refused to sign new contracts that cut the basic salaries of cockpit crew to as little as HK$17,500 a month.

The pilots - four first officers and five captains - were terminated after being given a deadline of March 31 to agree to the contracts, which the pilots say halve basic pay in some cases and diminish other entitlements.

A spokesman for Hong Kong Airlines, which had 52 pilots before the sackings, confirmed the dismissals but denied those were connected to new contracts. He declined to say why the pilots, who were mostly expatriates from Australasia and South America, had been sacked.

The move comes amid severe cost-cutting at the start-up airline, which operates Boeing 737 aircraft on regional flights in competition with airlines including Dragonair. Earlier this year, it asked all cockpit crew to take a week's unpaid leave.

A copy of the new contract seen by the Sunday Morning Post cuts basic salaries to HK$17,500 a month for first officers with less than 1,500 hours of jet flying time, HK$20,000 a month for more than 1,500 hours of flying and HK$22,500 for more than 3,000 hours of flying. Captains with less than 3,000 hours of flying time will get HK$30,000 a month, while those with more than 3,000 hours will receive HK$40,000.

In addition to their basic pay, each pilot receives a monthly market-based adjustment lump sum of HK$10,000 and the prospect of a further productivity-based payment ranging from HK$225 to HK$1,000.

According to one of the sacked pilots, basic pay for captains was previously HK$75,000 or HK$65,000, depending on flying time, and HK$45,000 or HK$40,000 for first officers, although previous fixed market-based adjustment levels were lower.

"We declined to sign the new contract and wrote to management saying we wished to stay on our present contracts," the pilot said. "There was no response. Everybody who did not sign the new contract was simply terminated."

As well as slashing basic salaries, the pilot said, the new contract allowed the company to change annual leave entitlements as it deemed fit and make promotions discretionary rather than based on service.

Letters were sent out to the nine pilots on April 2 telling them they were being terminated and wishing them "all the best for the future" without giving any reason, according to another of the dismissed pilots.

Eight of them have approached the Labour Department and are negotiating payoffs according to their notice periods. The ninth pilot is understood to have settled his case with management separately.

In the confusion that followed the sackings, the pilots at first believed they were expected to continue flying as they served out their notice periods, something the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association warned would be "a serious safety concern".

When they objected, they then believed they had to do ground duty and - in a bizarre incident last Tuesday - reported for office duty at the airport, only to find no one there able to assign them work. They say they have since been told they will not have to work out their notice periods.

"It has been a very traumatic time for some months," one pilot said. "Pilots have been asked to take no-pay leave and have been seconded to mainland airlines {hellip} Most of us are just relieved it's over and the only surprise is that so many of our colleagues have agreed to stay on at such reduced terms." The carrier declined to give further details of the dismissals or to be interviewed by the Post.

Easter travel holding up in face of crisis
11 April 2009
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong saw fewer flights on Good Friday amid the financial crisis, but travel agents said outbound travel was set to remain strong during Easter because of cheaper airfares and hotel rooms.

The Civil Aviation Department said 918 flights were scheduled to arrive and depart the city yesterday, 41 fewer than on Good Friday last year.

But Ng Hi-on, deputy general manager at China Travel Service's package tour department, said the number of people on CTS Easter package tours was the same as last year, despite the economic turmoil.

"It's because tour prices have dropped," Mr Ng said. "For example, a tour to Wuyishan cost around HK$3,000 per person in the past but it's only HK$2,300 now, as airlines now charge less compared to last Easter while fuel surcharges have also gone down."

About 70 per cent of his company's tours are to the mainland, Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, managing director of EGL Tours, which has 300 tour groups flying out over the Easter break, said travel was 5 per cent to 10 per cent cheaper now than a year ago thanks to a strengthening in the value of the Hong Kong dollar and cheaper flights and hotel rooms.

His company has 20 per cent more customers this Easter than a year ago. The popularity of trips to Taiwan has risen the most, with a third more people travelling to the island than a year earlier, Mr Huen said. South Korea was proving to be another popular destination because the weakening of its currency had made trips cheaper.

By 5pm yesterday, more than 491,000 people had left the city. More than 245,000 people left on Thursday. Holidaymaker Lam Cheuk-wah, who flew to Guilin with her family yesterday, said the financial crisis had not dampened her enthusiasm for short-haul travel.

"It's because there aren't a lot of holidays as long as this one [in the year]. So it's easier to travel with others during this time," said Ms Lam, who went to Egypt last Easter and expected her family to spend about HK$5,000 per person during the four-day trip to Guilin.

Some tourists have cut their travel budgets in the face of the economic crisis. Cheung Yan-kei, who joined a four-day trip to Hainan with 10 family members, said: "I thought about travelling to North America but decided otherwise."

Rebeki Wong, who left on a six-day trip to Yunnan province, said: "I should support the tourism industry, especially now the economy is bad. I am a bit worried [about job security], but will continue travelling until the day I am really fired."

Helicopter service launches expansion
17 April 2009
South China Morning Post

A helicopter service operator is expanding its heliport despite a drop in passenger numbers.

Sky Shuttle Helicopters, which operates services between Hong Kong and Macau, also bought six new-model aircraft last year, two of which went into service last week.

The company opened its 560 square metre check-in and passenger lounge yesterday - six times as big as the previous facility.

The development was part of an expansion plan to double the heliport's capacity.

Sky Shuttle would finish building another helipad in the last quarter of this year, alongside the one at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal building in Sheung Wan, chief executive Cheyenne Chan said.

Ms Chan said passenger numbers dropped 8 per cent last year - the first drop after the firm's annual double-digit growth from 2003 to 2007.

"Even if business is not as good for now, it doesn't mean it will be bad in the future. In the middle and long run, I am optimistic" about the helicopter business, she said. "As a Hong Kong-based company, we hope there is good infrastructure for helicopters in Hong Kong."

A helicopter usually costs {euro}8 million to {euro}9 million (HK$92.2 million), according to Giuseppe Orsi, chief executive of Italian manufacturer AgustaWestland. He did not reveal the price Sky Shuttle was paying.

It was quieter inside the new AW-139, 15-passenger carriers, heliport operations assistant director Carmen Chan Nga-keng said. The helicopters had stronger engines, providing a maximum cruising speed of 306km/h, about 30km/h faster than the company's five older 12-passenger Sikorsky S-76C+ aircraft, which was put into service in 1997.

Two of the new carriers are undergoing safety checks and another two will arrive in the next two months, after which the five old helicopters will be sold in September.

The fare to Macau was raised by HK$100, to HK$2,500, from this month. The firm said there would be no further increases this year.

內地學者倡第三跑道拓國內航線
20 April 2009
信報

　　雖然「珠三角地區改革發展規劃綱要」行動綱領已首次就五個機場的分工作出定位(表)，但在內地不少學者眼中，這只是文字遊戲，兩地競爭局面並沒有消失，隨著穗、港兩地機場差距正逐漸拉小，香港機場被邊緣化的勢頭已顯現。

　　中山大學港澳珠三角研究中心教授、粵港交通問題專家鄭天祥直言，廣州機場的發展潛力遠超香港，十年、八年後很有可能趕超香港。他表示，廣州機場在硬件上已經優於香港，而在軟件條件上，廣州集中了貨源地、高新技術、周邊企業密集等優勢，圍繞四周的公路網、鐵路網也在加速建設當中。

　　香港機場雖然航線密集，但客運、貨運價格均高企，「同樣一個集裝箱從香港運去美國，要比從廣州運過去貴三百美元，廣州機場目前每年都增加十幾條航線，很快就能追上香港。」鄭天祥說。

　　目前，香港政府正在策劃興建第三條跑道，不少本港學者、交通問題專家認為，此第三條跑道應該用於增設一百四十條國內航線，以拓寬國內市場，但鄭天祥並不認同。他說，香港機場目前已開通了四十五條面向內地主要城市的航線，在國內航線已被北京、上海和廣州三地機場佔據的前提下，港機場再增加一百多條航線到中小型城市，成效有限，不一定能提高競爭力。

　　「香港機場每個航班平均二百多名旅客，而白雲機場平均每個航班才一百多名旅客，香港機場等於降低效益去爭國內航線。」鄭天祥解釋道。他指出，儘管香港機場現有百多條國際航線，但北京首都機場和上海浦東機場的國際航線均超過百條，廣州白雲機場現時雖然只有六十多條，但近年的目標亦是增超百條，所以他建議，耗資幾百億的第三條跑道應用於增設國際航線，香港機場才有絕對的競爭優勢。

　　此外，雖然香港機場連續七年獲世界第二大貨運機場，每年貨運吞吐量超過三百六十萬噸，二○○二年時，這樣的吞吐量更相當於內地一百四十個機場的綜合，但僅僅六年時間，上海浦東機場已追上香港的七成，達到二百九十萬噸。

　　鄭天祥接著說，中央已經將上海定位為國際航運中心，很快將追及香港，香港要保住自身地位，惟有開闢更多的國際航線，才能擁有北京、上海、廣州機場無法比擬的實力，然開闢國際航線風險大■

Hong Kong Airport March Passengers Down 7.9% On Year
20 April 2009

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hong Kong's international airport handled 7.9% fewer passengers in March than it did a year earlier, as the global financial crisis continued to cut demand for business and leisure travel, Airport Authority Hong Kong said Monday.

The Airport Authority, which operates the city's airport, said the airport handled 3.90 million passengers for the month, down from 4.24 million passengers a year earlier.

Cargo throughput fell 19.8% to 268,000 metric tons from 334,000 tons the previous year.

Aircraft movements totaled 23,805 in March, down 7.5% from 25,723 a year earlier.

Airport Authority Chief Executive Stanley Hui said in a statement that although the duration and full impact of the current recession remains to be seen, he is confident its impact on air traffic will gradually lessen.

The Hong Kong government owns 100% of the airport authority.

Cutthroat airfare to Shanghai
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

China Eastern Airlines is offering a special Shenzhen to Shanghai one- way fare of 280 yuan (HK$317) on April 29 for passengers traveling by bus from Hong Kong.

The promotion is being offered by Chinalink Bus Company which is working with China Eastern, China Southern Airlines and Air China to offer discounts that beat other travel agencies by 5 to 10 percent.

The tickets will be limited to between 20 and 40 and will be valid for three months.

Tickets will be available at Chinalink's discounted ticket counter at Elements shopping mall in Tsim Sha Tsui.

According to China Eastern's website, April 29 fares to Shanghai range from 730 yuan to 920 yuan.

Chinalink managing director Alan Chan Chung-yee said he did not think the special fare would start a price war.

But Hong Thai Travel Services deputy general manager Daniel Chan Kin-pang said the offer was not attractive unless the company also threw in free cross-border bus services.

"Ninety-nine percent of local travelers prefer to take direct flights to Shanghai instead of going through Shenzhen. It is unlikely they will change their travel plans because of the cheaper ticket prices," he said.

Ng Hi-on, deputy general manager of China Travel Service (Hong Kong) package tour department, said more details were needed before he could comment.

A Cathay Pacific spokeswoman said the company had an international network, while Shenzhen airlines target mainland cities.

Meanwhile, anticipating a growth in flights between Shenzhen and other mainland destinations, Chinalink has inaugurated a new bus route from Wan Chai to Shenzhen. It has forecast a 30 to 50 percent growth in patronage.

Return tickets range between 100 yuan and 180 yuan for the one hour and 40 minutes journey, which includes VIP check-in and safety checks. The bus frequency ranges from 15 to 30 minutes.

Motorola awarded contract for baggage tracking tags by Hong Kong International Airport
22 April 2009
Airline Industry Information

Motorola Inc (NYSE: MOT) and its partners Avery Dennison RFID and Print-O-Tape Inc have been awarded a multi-year contract to supply up to 70m radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled IATA standard 21 inch RFID baggage tracking tags to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).

The EPC Gen2-enabled RFID bag tags, unlike barcode only tags, can be read at long distances and without direct contact. The RFID system achieves average read rates of over 97%, compared to 80% for barcode only systems. The RFID system will reportedly allow more accurate tracking of baggage through HKIA's baggage system as a result.

HKIA awarded Motorola a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year, extending their existing relationship. Specific to this baggage tag award, Motorola has partnered Avery Dennison RFID for the AD-833 inlay and Print-O-Tape for the baggage tag. The companies plan to carry on working together on market development initiatives for the use of RFID in baggage tracking.

深圳優惠價 平過搭火車
直巴加機票飛滬$299
22/04/2009
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【本報訊】內地航空公司淡市以震撼優惠價「搶客」，本港直通巴士公司月底則擬推出機票加車票的優惠套票，由本港乘直通巴士到深圳機場後再乘飛機往上海，單程收費只需二百九十九元，來回低於六百元，等同本港直航上海來回機票約兩折，更是「平過搭火車」。

港酒店可預辦登機
中港通集團有限公司董事總經理陳宗彝表示，愈來愈多內地及本港旅客選用深圳機場飛往內地城市，除了機票價錢便宜外，辦理登機及安檢手續均較為便捷。他說，本港機場規定起飛前四十五分鐘必須辦理登機手續及入閘，且安檢程序相當嚴密，令攜帶大批宣傳產品來港參展的商家感到麻煩。深圳機場即使起飛前最後一刻亦可辦理登機，故較受商務旅客歡迎。

中國東方航空將率先於本月底宣布，推出二百九十九元的機票連直通巴士套票，可由灣仔乘車往深圳機場後，再乘飛機往上海。優惠套票設限額，售完即止。中港通集團有限公司昨亦在灣仔一家酒店內，設置預辦登機手續的候機服務處。

Arrivals given onboard check
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, April 27, 2009

Inbound travelers from the United States at Chek Lap Kok airport last night said they were not aware of the swine flu scare until they arrived in Hong Kong.

Tourist Michael Cook, who flew in from New York, said there were no health measures such as taking body temperature at the airport there.

But he was alarmed when he heard about the outbreak on arrival.

A Ms Leung, from San Francisco, said there was an onboard announcement when the flight touched down at Chek Lap Kok.

"We were told by the crew the health authorities would carry out some inspections on board. About 10 minutes later, I saw some people wearing masks come on board to do checks, but we did not see what they were doing."

Another woman, surnamed Chan, said she had rented her house in Texas to two Mexicans. They had visited Mexico two weeks ago and felt sick when they returned. "They had diarrhea and were sent to hospital. It is worrying," she said.

A Hong Kong man surnamed Ho, who left for New York to visit his relatives, said he would return if the outbreak becomes serious in the United States. "I will wear a mask during my month's stay. But I will fly back to Hong Kong earlier if the situation worsens."

Cathay Pacific Airways said it would make onboard announcements on flights between Hong Kong and three US cities - New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco - to warn passengers of the outbreak. The airline does not fly direct to Mexico.

Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung said the council will issue a travel advisory to all agencies. The advisory will urge tourists to avoid touring farms and reminding tourists to observe good personal hygiene.

Tung said the council has been in close contact with the Department of Health and is awaiting further advice from health authorities.

According to Tung, Mexico is not a popular destination for Hong Kong people as there are no direct flights there. He is not aware of any tours to Mexico at the moment.

"It is too early to panic as we still do not have a full picture of the flu outbreak. But I believe the impact on outbound trips is very minimal as we have just passed the peak [of the] Easter season."

HK Airport Authority Cuts Landing,Parking Fees On Econ Dnturn
27 April 2009

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hong Kong's Airport Authority said late Monday it has cut landing and parking charges by 10% until the end of this year, as part of a HK$450 million relief package for airlines that operate flights to and from the city's international airport.

The government-owned airport operator said the reduction in handling fees will help airlines that utilizes the airport save a total of around HK$200 million.

The airport authority is also allowing airlines to defer up to 50% of their rental payments for airline lounges, office premises and other facilities. The airlines can repay the rents via interest-free installments from April 2010, which would help them save a total of up to HK$250 million, the airport authority said.

"The operating environment facing the global aviation industry is expected to remain challenging for the rest of 2009," said Airport Authority Chief Executive Stanley Hui.

"We intend to ride out the recession with our business partners by introducing relief measures that are reasonable, responsive and within our means."

He said traffic volumes began to decline in August, and in the first quarter, passenger throughput fell 7.1% from a year earlier, while cargo volumes fell a larger 23%.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. (0293.HK), which is the airport's biggest airline customer, welcomed the airport authority's decision. In a statement late Monday, the carrier said it "appreciate(s) all the savings we can get" from the authority and other suppliers.

Fears over decision not to allow aircraft health checks
29 April 2009
Hong Kong Standard

An infectious disease expert yesterday questioned the government's decision not to send health officials to arriving aircraft to check the health of passengers.

Meanwhile, a union is asking Cathay Pacific to let flight attendants use masks during flights _ something the airline is refusing to do.

On-board health checks have been introduced in Japan and Taiwan following the swine flu outbreak, but Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok said yesterday they were unnecessary and ineffective, in addition to causing delays.

Chow said the SAR's existing methods were sufficient.

Consulting firm Frost and Sullivan's senior health-care analyst Louis Payet agreed. ``Thermal scanners have been deployed at the arrival halls to measure the temperatures of passengers just before they undergo immigration checks,'' Payet said.

``These precautionary checks are non-intrusive, and have no impact on the time needed by passengers to clear the various airport processes.

``Passengers with a higher-than- normal temperature will undergo a more thorough medical assessment.''

But infectious disease expert Lo Wing-lok said the scanners observe the temperatures of a crowd, and show the temperatures of more than one person at a time.

Staff monitoring the scanner may miss someone who is sick.

Lo said health-care professionals could observe the health of individual passengers more thoroughly on board.

The Airport Authority has implemented precautionary measures, such as increasing the frequency of cleaning for public areas and bathrooms, enhancing indoor ventilation systems, providing adequate hand washing facilities, and encouraging staff to check their temperature before going on duty.

The Cathay Pacific Flight Attendants Union has written to the airline's senior management, asking that crew members be allowed to wear facial masks and gloves in flight.

Union chairwoman Becky Kwan Siu-wa said some members have expressed fears of possible exposure.

A spokeswoman for the airline said facial masks are provided for passengers, but not crew members.

Neither the International Air Transport Association or the WHO has issued any advice saying whether passengers should wear masks on board planes, she said.

To get rid of Swine flu, I strongly suggest the government send health officials to arriving aircraft to take On-board health check.

DHL doubles Singapore-Hong Kong air capacity with B747-400F
29 April 2009
CEP Research

DHL Express announced today it has doubled capacity on its vital Singapore - Hong Kong route with the introduction of a Boeing 747-400 freighter operated by Air Hong Kong, its joint venture with Cathay Pacific. The move reflects DHL's continued investment in the region and is in strong contrast to capacity cuts in integrator air networks in other parts of the world.

The B747-400F, with capacity for 110 tonnes of freight, replaces the current 45-tonne capacity A300-600F, and will operate between both cities six days a week, more than doubling capacity on the SIN-HKG route, a vital link for Intra-Asia trade, DHL Express Asia Pacific said. The A300-600 freighter, in turn, will replace smaller planes on other Asian routes.

The addition of the Boeing 747-400F service comes on the back of increased air capacity for flights between Hong Kong and Nagoya, Taipei, Seoul and Singapore. Operated by Air Hong Kong, these flights were increased in the fourth quarter of 2008 to six times per week, up from five times a week, representing a 20 per cent increase in capacity for each of these four cities.

“DHL's intra-Asia air Express freight business has grown over 11% year-on-year between 2003 and 2008, with shipments along the Singapore - Hong Kong route comprising 30% of total intra-Asia shipment volume,” said Dan McHugh, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “Adding the biggest freighter aircraft in service, the Boeing 747-400F, to our Express air network on our Singapore-Hong Kong route is a clear signal of our continued commitment to growth in Asia. Our core Asia Air Network is well-utilised and well-positioned for the economic recovery. DHL is the undisputed Express market leader in Asia Pacific. Since 2000, DHL has invested over US$2.2 billion across Asia Pacific and we will continue to invest ahead of the curve,” he emphasised.

The growth of Intra-Asia volumes has also outpaced the growth on other trade lanes. Intra-Asia volumes from Hong Kong grew an average of 16% year-on-year between 2003 and 2008, as compared to a 3% annual growth on other trade lanes. Similarly, in Singapore, DHL’s Intra-Asia volumes grew an average of 5% per annum between 2003 and 2008, as compared to an average of 4% growth on non-Intra-Asia trade lanes.

This upgrade further bolsters DHL’s Asia Express Air Network, which includes more than 20 aircraft covering 30 destinations. “We are optimistic about the opportunities that Asia presents and will continue to invest in this region. With the addition of the Boeing 747-400F, the existing A300-600F will replace some of the smaller aircraft within the network, thus greatly increasing our capacity and network capability and, in turn, enhance our service offering for customers. In addition to the dedicated aircraft, DHL is utilising over 500 commercial flights per day in Asia Pacific,” said Tom Murphy, Senior Vice President, Aviation, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “DHL’s air network allows major Asia Pacific cities and other business centres to be interconnected through DHL’s regional hubs and gateways, providing customers with overnight services across the region.”

“The Boeing 747-400F service will link DHL’s Central Asia Hub in Hong Kong, and the DHL Express Singapore Hub, two vital hubs which service the robust Intra-Asia trade lane which constitutes over 50% of DHL’s Asia volumes," said Stephen Fenwick, Senior Vice President, Operations, DHL Express Asia Pacific. “DHL’s network of hubs and gateways in Asia Pacific are well complemented by a well-established Asia Air Network. These form twin pillars of our highly efficient operational backbone in the region."

DHL’s US$210 million Central Asia Hub situated at the Hong Kong International Airport is the first large-scale automated Express hub in Asia Pacific. The 35,000 sqm facility highly automated facility handled some 30 million shipments in 2008 and is a central hub for shipments from across Asia Pacific. The DHL Express Singapore Hub was purchased from the Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) for S$38 million in 2008, after having been leased since 2001. The 18,000 sqm facility is the single largest air express transshipment facility in Changi Airport, more than twice the size of any air express transshipment center in the vicinity. The DHL Express Singapore Hub is a key hub for DHL’s shipments especially from Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

The latest addition of the Boeing 747-400F caps a series of recent investments in DHL’s hubs and gateways in the region. Last week, DHL inaugurated two new gateways in North Asia to a tune of over US$56 million: the US$50 million state-of-the-art DHL Express Incheon Gateway in South Korea and the brand new DHL Taipei Gateway at Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan.

Pilot and son walk away after helicopter hits bus
Witnesses tell of stunt-like manoeuvre before crash
2 May 2009
South China Morning Post

A helicopter pilot and his eight-year-old son had a lucky escape from death or serious injury yesterday when their chopper crashed into a parked tour bus in Kowloon City.

The helicopter, carrying pilot Ng Shu-keung, 48, and his son, Ng Yu-hin, smashed into the front of the bus about 100 metres from where it was scheduled to land at the Hong Kong Aviation Club in Sung Wong Toi Road. It was the first helicopter crash in downtown Hong Kong for two decades.

Mr Ng suffered minor cuts to his left leg and his son complained of head pain. They were trapped in the helicopter's cabin but conscious when rescuers arrived. The boy was crying, a witness said.

Ho King-him, a technician who was working on the bus, was slightly injured by flying glass when the collision occurred shortly after 11am in the Sung Wong Toi Road car park. The front of the bus was badly damaged.

The pilot had been flying back to the helipad to land when the helicopter developed problems and crashed, police said.

The Civil Aviation Department was collecting information on the accident and would consider whether human error was involved, Cheng Lam-yuen, acting chief of flight standards, said.

A special unit would be set up to investigate the cause of the accident from multiple perspectives, he said.

"The weather, operational and environment aspects are among other factors that the department will look into," he said.

Witnesses said the helicopter was flying unsteadily and circled several times in the air before going down and hitting the bus.

The helicopter performed what looked like a stunt before it crashed into the coach, witness Pannu George said. It made a very quick turn of 180 degrees and headed back the way it came, he said.

Asked whether the department would ban helicopters flying from the Aviation Club or consider moving the club away from Kai Tak, Mr Cheng said: "Taking off and landing procedures [at the club] are acceptable for now."

However, "no stunts should be performed here [at Kai Tak Airport", he said.

All pilots were notified of the safety standards set out in the Civil Aviation Ordinance when they applied for a licence, he said. The department refused to comment on what penalties a pilot could face if he performed a stunt in the wrong place.

The Hong Kong Observatory said visibility was good over the harbour yesterday, with a view of over 10km.

It said wind was blowing from the southeast at the time of the crash, with a mean speed of 31km/h and maximum gusts of 44km/h.

The data was recorded at a weather monitoring station at the end of the old Kai Tak runway.

Lee Fung-chun, the Central Kowloon division officer with the Fire Services Department, said they received a call at about 11.14am and arrived at the scene three minutes later.

They deployed 21 fire engines and 91 firemen, he said. Nine ambulances with 21 medical officers were also sent to the scene in case of a more serious emergency, he said.

The injured were taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where they were discharged after treatment.

The helicopter that crashed was a two-seater, Robinson R22 model, said Aviation Club coach Choi Chi-yuen.

機場商舖緊張旅客無懼疫情
03/05/2009
http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/img/endmarker.gif

【本報訊】本地確診首宗豬流感個案後，香港國際機場內各類前線人員均十分重視今次豬流感襲港，不少商舖職員、地勤人員及不少食肆職員紛紛戴上口罩，防止染病，但遊客方面則似乎不大尠意今次豬流感襲港事件，大部分遊客也沒有佩戴口罩，無懼豬流感登陸香港，而昨晨三個出發前往日本的旅行團，大部分團友均沒有佩戴口罩。

維景櫃位照收客
機場客運大樓內，並沒有因本港首宗豬流感確診個案而張貼特別告示，但機管局則如常在接機大堂內提供免費口罩，同時派出不少人員在機場範圍內派發有關防疫宣傳單張，提醒訪港旅客到港後需要關注的事項。

另外，在機場入境大堂香港酒店業協會維景酒店的預訂櫃位，仍然如常列出位於銅鑼灣、灣仔、九龍及旺角共四間的維景酒店可供預訂，卻並未有告示通知旅客灣仔維景酒店因有住客確診豬流感而遭封鎖七日，旅客若要預訂灣仔維景酒店，職員才會向旅客解釋不能預訂的原因。

離境大堂方面，幾乎所有地勤人員均戴上口罩，出境旅客並不感到奇怪，也沒有人查詢為何出現這種現象。現場所見，離開本港的航班主要為東南亞國家及內地航班，等候辦理登機手續的旅客較多，往返歐美地區長途機班次的旅客較為疏落。

More crews demand right to wear masks
5 May 2009
South China Morning Post

More flight attendants are joining the fight for the right to wear protective gear such as masks and gloves on planes, as the number of swine flu patients rises around the globe.

The chairwoman of the British Airways Hong Kong International Cabin Crew Association, Carol Ng Man-yee, said she planned to issue a plea for help to health minister York Chow Yat-ngok tomorrow.

"Major transport operators in Hong Kong all told their staff to wear masks, but we who are exposed to greater risks, are not allowed to do so. How unfair is that?"

Ms Ng said she would write to Dr Chow on behalf of her union and cabin crews from another British airline, Virgin Atlantic, as she had heard that some of its flight attendants had made similar demands but had no union representatives.

On Saturday, Cathay Pacific backed down on its policy of banning cabin crew from wearing masks after Dr Chow appealed to it to be more flexible if staff felt unwell or uncomfortable not wearing a mask.

The Association of Flight Attendants - a major union in the United States - wrote to the US Federal Aviation Administration about the same issue.

British Airways said medical advice did not support wearing masks because under World Health Organisation guidelines, the risk of contracting the H1N1 flu virus was limited to those in close contact with an infected person for more than an hour. It told staff masks and gloves were only advised when in close contact with an infected person.

Virgin Atlantic's medical boss in the UK said it was "not necessary and staff should not wear masks on duty, unless they are following the specific procedures for dealing with a sick passenger".

A Virgin flight attendant said many of her colleagues wanted a change in policy.

"You can't blame us for being cautious. We have experienced Sars [severe acute respiratory syndrome] and [wearing masks] is for the good of both us and our passengers."

At Chek Lap Kok airport, flight attendants and ground officers from various airlines said they would not wear a face mask even if they were allowed to do so because they did not think the virus was severe. Some felt a mask would not protect them.

But Ms Ng said the point was that employees were given the choice. "You don't have to wear it if you don't think you need it."

Airport rail link to cost 52 billion yuan
7 May 2009
South China Morning Post

An intercity rail link connecting Hong Kong and Shenzhen airports is expected to cost nearly 52 billion yuan (HK$59 billion) to shorten the travelling time from an hour to 24 minutes, Shenzhen authorities said yesterday.

Shenzhen officials said in a study expected to be given to Hong Kong next month that the rail link was "feasible and would benefit the two neighbouring cities as part of efforts to cement the integration of them".

The proposed 41km line would have four stops - both airports, Hung Shui Kiu in Yuen Long and Qianhai in Shekou, Shenzhen - the feasibility study said.

It said checkpoints would be provided for cross-border travellers, and passengers could check in their luggage before boarding the train.

Hong Kong is expected to pay 41 billion yuan, 80 per cent of the total construction fees, for the 16km line in its jurisdiction, while Shenzhen will pay about 10 billion yuan for about 25km. Trains would run every three minutes, carrying 35,000 passengers an hour, said Li Xiaoyi , vice-director of the Shenzhen Rail Transit Construction Headquarters Office.

Shenzhen authorities said the planned intercity railway could provide a link between Hong Kong airport's frequent international flights and Shenzhen airport's domestic flights.

Shenzhen launched a feasibility study on airport rail links at the end of 2007, and its planning bureau earlier proposed that the railway should be 30km long and cut travelling time between the two cities to 17 minutes.

Shenzhen Mayor Xu Zongheng said earlier that construction of the line would not start until 2011.

Motorola deal to improve airport luggage handling
Use of radio tracking gear intensifies
12 May 2009
South China Morning Post

The Hong Kong International Airport is intensifying its use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology four years after introducing a HK$50 million pioneering electronic baggage-tracking system.

The Airport Authority has awarded United States-based wireless communications supplier Motorola a multi-year contract for an undisclosed amount to further improve baggage-handling at Chek Lap Kok.

RFID is an automatic identification technology that stores and remotely retrieves data from electronic tags using a wireless network.

"The technology has greatly enhanced the reliability and efficiency of our baggage reconciliation and management system," said C.K. Ng, the authority's deputy director of airport operations.

At present, more than 70 airlines are involved in the electronic baggage-tracking activity at the airport, which handled 48.6 million passengers last year.

Unlike bar code tags, which require a scanner to be in the line of sight to read the tags, the new-generation Electronic Product Code-standard RFID luggage tags can store more data and be read at long distances without direct contact with the baggage.

The system also achieves an average read rate of more than 97 per cent, compared with 80 per cent for a bar code-only system.

Timely and accurately checked bags mean airlines and passengers experience more on-time departures. Improved customer service is also achieved, as the system reduces the incidence of misdirected bags.

The airport's RFID set-up tags passengers' bags in multiple locations, including the check-in counters at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, in-town check-in desks at the Kowloon and Hong Kong stations of the Airport Express and upstream check-in facilities in the Pearl River Delta area.

According to Motorola, it has partnered Avery Dennison RFID, a manufacturer of inlays for label converters, to make the electronic tags, and Print-O-Tape, a leader in the design, manufacture and supply of automated baggage tags.

The three companies were awarded a three-year contract with an option for a fourth year to supply the airport with as many as 70 million RFID baggage-tracking tags based on International Air Transport Association-approved specifications.

Motorola is also supplying an undisclosed number of fixed RFID readers and hand-held computers.

Joseph Phi, the chairman of non-profit RFID proponent GS1 in Hong Kong, said: "Hong Kong needs to continuously pursue innovation and adopt technology to bring about greater efficiency."

RFID technology is widely used by local manufacturers, retailers, logistics companies and the government to manage, secure and track items.

Before the airport's RFID adoption, the Octopus stored value card and the Autotoll electronic toll collection systems were the leading examples of RFID usage.

Anna Lin, the chief executive at GS1 in Hong Kong, said the airport's RFID implementation was among the Gold Award winners at last year's first Hong Kong RFID Awards.

"We're only beginning to see how far this technology will go," she said.

$3,300飛倫敦
13 May 2009
星島日報

澳洲航空最新推出倫敦機票特惠，有興趣者只要在本月15日或以前購票便可，更吸引是多個級別客位均有提供折扣。最便宜當然是3,300港元起的經濟客位機票，最少停留三天，最長六十天，有關乘客須在即日至6月30日或9月2日至9月30日由香港出發；至於特惠價為7,000港元起的尊尚經濟客位機票及21,500港元起的商務客位機票，適用出發日期由即日至9月30日，機票有效期更長達一年。要留意是購買上述優惠機票的旅客，必須乘搭澳航QF29及QF30航班往返香港至倫敦。查詢：2822 9000（澳洲航空）

Cathay won't sell Haeco stake, chairman says
14 May 2009
South China Morning Post

Cathay Pacific Airways denied yesterday it was considering selling down its 27.45 per cent stake in Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co (Haeco) or planning to tap the capital markets.

Shares in Cathay and Haeco rose sharply on Monday on speculation a major shareholder would be disposing of shares in the aircraft maintenance and modification business.

"We have no knowledge of any major shareholder selling shares, while Cathay is not considering to dispose of its stake," Cathay chairman Christopher Pratt said after a shareholders' meeting yesterday.

Although the current operating environment was difficult, Cathay did not expect to raise any capital on the stock market, given its strong balance sheet, he added.

Meanwhile, Cathay chief executive Tony Tyler said official plans to more than double the direct flights between the mainland and Taiwan to 270 a week as early as June would have an impact on the airline.

But that would partly be offset by an agreement signed over the weekend between Beijing and Hong Kong to allow mainland tourists to use the same visa to visit Hong Kong and Taiwan, he said.

Cathay flew 8.8 per cent more passengers last month, the first increase for several months, because the Easter holiday fell in April this year after falling in March last year.

However, the airline said it still saw no sign of a turnaround, given the disappointing mainland export figures for last month.

Price-fixing proceedings instituted against Cathay by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission would be vigorously defended, Mr Tyler said.

"We remain subject to the antitrust investigation by several jurisdictions, including Australia, New Zealand and the European Union {hellip} but we are not in the position to assess the full potential liability of the fine," he said.

Last year, the airline made a US$60 million provision for the settlement of a price-fixing investigation by United States regulators.

Hong Kong's air cargo traffic drops 20 percent
17 May 2009
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong's air cargo traffic dropped almost 20 percent year-on-year in April due to the global slowdown, the city's airport authority said on Sunday.

Hong Kong International Airport said in a statement it handled 257,000 tonnes of cargo in April, down 19.8 percent from April 2008.

The contraction in cargo traffic was most prominent in exports, recording a 27 percent year-on-year drop as cargo volumes to all major overseas markets experienced a decline.

Import also shrank 16 percent year-on-year, with cargo volumes from Southeast Asia and Japan decreasing the most.

Cargo volume has seen a consistent drop of about 20 percent over the last three months, after falling nearly 30 percent in December and January.

"Cargo throughput remains the hardest hit in comparison to passenger volume and aircraft movements, reflecting the continued weakening of global trade and consumption," airport authority chief executive Stanley Hui said.

Hui added that the aviation industry worldwide had yet to show signs of recovery as the gloomy economic outlook and the outbreak of swine flu dampened travel demand.

Although mild 4.1 percent growth in passenger traffic was seen in April, the authority said the rise was primarily a result of the Easter holidays falling in April this year instead of March as in 2008.

HK Airport Apr Passengers Up 4.1%; Not Recovery Sign
17 May 2009

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hong Kong's airport said Sunday passenger traffic rose 4.1% in April from a year earlier, but the airport authority said the aviation market hasn't any shown signs of a recovery as the weak economic outlook damps demand.

Airport Authority Hong Kong, which operates the airport, said passenger traffic totaled 4.22 million in April, up from 4.06 million a year earlier.

It attributed the rise to the timing of the Easter holiday, which fell in April this year but in March last year.

Taking the passenger figures for both March and April, traffic fell 2% from a year earlier, the authority said.

Cargo tonnage continued to fall sharply during the month, with throughput down 20% to 257,000 metric tons from 320,000 tons a year earlier.

"Cargo throughput remains the hardest hit in comparison to passenger volume and aircraft movements, reflecting the continued weakening of global trade and consumption," Airport Authority Hong Kong Chief Executive Stanley Hui said in a statement.

He said the fall in cargo traffic remains "worrying" even though the rate of decline has dropped from nearly 30% in December and January.

Hong Kong International Airport operates more than 5,000 flights a week and has an annual passenger handling capacity of more than 45 million. The Hong Kong government owns 100% of the airport authority.

As well as managing Hong Kong airport, the airport authority owns a 35% stake in Hangzhou's Xiaoshan International Airport. It is also part of a joint venture that operates Zhuhai's international airport.

Hong Kong on track to open big jet fuel supply center in December
21 May 2009
Platts Commodity News

Singapore (Platts)--21May2009/239 am EDT/639 GMT

Hong Kong is on track to open a major new supply and trading center for jet fuel in December, officials close to the project told Platts this week.

The Permanent Aviation Fuel Facility, also known as PAFF, will start up its first phase with four storage tanks capable of holding a combined 140,000 cubic meters of jet fuel, along with a pair of submarine pipelines connected to Hong Kong International Airport and a two-berth jetty to take delivery of fuel from international suppliers.

The ground-breaking project is expected to open up supply and trading at the airport, which typically hosts more than 800 flights a day. The airport represents the second biggest demand center for jet fuel anywhere in the world, after London's Heathrow airport. In 2008, planes refueling at HKIA consumed 38 million barrels of jet fuel, compared with 48 million barrels of consumption at Heathrow.

Officials in the airline industry expect PAFF to radically change the way jet fuel is supplied at the airport. Some believe it could become the foundation for a traded spot market, though such an evolution looks some way off. Airport officials say its primary goal is to smooth local supply to planes.

"Being a major international and regional aviation center, PAFF is needed to ensure reliable and steady supply of jet fuel for the operation and continuous growth of Hong Kong International Airport," said a spokeswoman for Airport Authority Hong Kong, which operates HKIA.

A total of 11 companies currently supply jet fuel at HKIA, and more suppliers are expected to come when PAFF commences operation, she said. Current suppliers include China Aviation Oil, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Kuwait Petroleum, PetroChina, Thailand's PTT, Shell, Singapore Petroleum Company, Sinopec, Sinopec (Hong Kong) and Total.

"At HKIA, we adapt a fair and non-discriminatory open access approach in managing the aviation fuel system. That means any party can supply fuel at HKIA, provided it has a contract with an airline," the spokeswoman said. "Since quantity and prices are freely negotiable, healthy competition among suppliers is created."

PAFF TO LOWER BARRIERS TO ENTRY FURTHER

PAFF could also lower the barrier to entry for supplies at the airport by reducing the amount of reserve fuel stocks each supplier needs to keep on hand. According to one industry source, HKIA currently requires each supplier to hold 11 days of jet supplies. This could be reduced when PAFF comes into operation and pools stocks.

The new supply center, which is being built in Hong Kong's Tuen Mun industrial zone, will be developed in phases.

A second phase is planned to include another four storage tanks with a total capacity of 124,000 cu m for the end of 2010. A third and final development phase contemplates four more tanks, but the timing of it "will depend on market demand," the spokeswoman said.

Jet fuel will be delivered to the airport site through two buried, 500 mm diameter sub-sea pipelines that will connect to the airport's existing refueling area at Sha Chau, an island at the northwest water of Hong Kong. The length of the twin sub-sea pipelines will be about 4.8 km.

Currently, jet fuel is delivered to HKIA through an existing temporary Aviation Fuel Receiving Facility at Sha Chau. The tank farm does not have the capacity to meet forecast demand for fuel at the airport.

The existing tank farm would be kept for emergency back-up only after PAFF starts up.

PAFF is being developed by ECO Aviation Fuel Development. It is to be operated by ECO Aviation Fuel Services, a joint venture company between Hong Kong and China Gas and Shell.

HK's Aircraft Maintenance Service is no longer monopoly from the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO) from today.

Gov't Press Release:
China Aircraft Services Limited expands aircraft maintenance service scope with new hangar at HKIA (with photos) (http://info.gov.hk/gia/general/200905/22/P200905210151.htm)

Official Website:
http://www.casl.com.hk/

HK Gov't Press Release:
World's leading business aircraft service provider, TAG Aviation, expands in Hong Kong (with photo) (http://info.gov.hk/gia/general/200905/27/P200905270168.htm)

AIR PACIFIC EYES ASIAN, EUROPEAN SKIES

SUVA, May 28 Asia Pulse - Fiji and China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) are expected to sign an agreement this year that would open up more routes for local airline Air Pacific in Asia and Europe, Fiji media reported on Wednesday.

Last week, the Fiji cabinet had given the green light to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Civil Aviation to sign the Fiji-Hong Kong special administration region (SAR) air services agreement (ASA).

Air Pacific chief executive and managing director John Campbell on Wednesday welcomed the announcement, saying the locally-owned airline had encouraged the government to initiate the air services agreement with Hong Kong in order to materialize its plans to commence flights between Fiji and Hong Kong.

"The Air Services Agreement is, in effect, the licensing of the route for operations and ASAs are required between Fiji and any country that Air Pacific or the other countries airlines provide flight operations," the Fiji live website on Wednesday quoted Campbell as saying.

In his submission to Cabinet last week, acting Prime Minister Ratu Epeli Ganilau said the ASA was envisaged to lead to meaningful bilateral relationships between Fiji and Hong Kong in areas of trade, tourism and increased interaction.

He said that the agreed air services scheduled to commence with effect from Dec. 3 later this year were intended to open up air routes to the lucrative air routes in Asia, Europe and the United States.

No mechanical fault in helicopter crash
28 May 2009
South China Morning Post

An investigation by the Civil Aviation Department has ruled out mechanical faults as the cause of a rare accident this month in which a helicopter crashed into a parked tour bus in Kowloon City.

Yesterday, director general Norman Lo Shung-man said the investigation would be completed early next month and the department was now examining other aspects of the accident, such as the human and environmental factors.

"We are looking into the pilot's experience [in handling the helicopter] as well as the wind speed at the time of the accident," he said, adding that the helicopter had been functioning well at the time.

The department would also study whether the Hong Kong Aviation Club, located next to the former Kai Tak airport, was suitable for helicopter take offs and landings, Mr Lo said.

On May 1, a helicopter carrying pilot Ng Shu-keung, 48, and his eight-year-old son smashed into the front of the bus about 100 metres from where it was scheduled to land at the aviation club's helipad in Sung Wong Toi Road.

Both of them were trapped in the helicopter's cabin but were conscious when rescuers arrived. A technician working on the bus suffered slight injuries from flying glass. The front of the bus was badly damaged.

Witnesses had said the helicopter was flying unsteadily and had circled several times before going down.

A survey by the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood of 243 residents in Kowloon City between May 4 and May 16 found that more than 90 per cent wanted the club to move out. Eighty-four per cent said they had been affected by the club's flying activities, while 83 per cent feared a similar accident.

After the accident, the Civil Aviation Department ordered the club to suspend flying at the site. The helicopter that crashed was a two-seater, Robinson R22 model.

Third aircraft service complex opens at Chek Lap Kok
23 May 2009
China Daily - Hong Kong Edition

HONG KONG: The city will bolster its ability to provide aircraft maintenance services in the region with Friday's launch of a HK$400 million aircraft maintenance hangar at the Hong Kong International Airport.

The complex, property of the China Aircraft Services Ltd (CASL) and Hong Kong's third maintenance services facility, has opened up about 200 new job opportunities in the aviation industry, mainly technicians and aviation repair workers.

The 10,000 square-meter compound, which took two years to build, officially began operation Friday with an opening ceremony officiated by Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng and Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the central government in the HKSAR Guo Li.

The new hangar provides services such as maintenance checks, major defect rectifications and cabin cleaning to airline companies from the Greater China region, Europe and America operating flights in and out of Hong Kong.

Eva Cheng said: "We are aware of the challenges facing Hong Kong's aviation industry. Recently, we have observed a significant decline in passenger and cargo traffic due to the introduction of direct charter flights between the mainland and Taiwan as well as the human swine flu.

"We cannot predict when the next upturn will come, but we will be fully geared up when it does," she said.

Designed to house one wide-body and a narrow-body aircraft at the same time, the hangar is expected to carry out maintenance works for 100 aircraft each year. This allows for simultaneous servicing of a large Boeing 747 aircraft and a smaller aircraft used for regional flights.

CASL Chief Executive Officer Angus H.W. Cheung said: "We see huge opportunities for the Hong Kong International Airport brought about by continued developments and connections between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta."

Hong Kong has a competitive advantage in the aviation industry due to the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, he said. The city can better source aircraft parts and deliver quicker and more efficient service to clients.

"Our workforce is very important to the long-term success and future expansion of the company," he said.

He indicated that CASL intends to set up a technical training school to provide the necessary skills and training for the future development of its staff.

He expects the company to generate good business at the facility as the aviation maintenance industry in Asia Pacific is expected to grow by 28 percent in the coming decade.

In addition, he said the hangar can service European and American airlines. "We have found that many European and American airline operators are increasingly outsourcing aircraft maintenance services. We can benefit from this trend."

CASL is currently offering services to shareholders United Airlines, China Airlines as well as international airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa Airlines, Air France and Japan Airlines.

Its aircraft cabin cleaning services account for about 50 percent of the local passenger flight market.

Hong Kong Airlines charts course to Europe
23 May 2009
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong Airlines, a subsidiary of HNA Group, planned to develop long-haul routes to European destinations in the next six months despite the current downturn in air traffic, its president said yesterday.

The airline plans to take delivery of five aircraft in the next year - three Airbus 330s and two A320s.

"We have adopted several measures to streamline the company and improve the operations through marketing enhancement, and we need to further develop in the next six months," airline president Yang Jianhong said during the opening ceremony of an aircraft hangar at Chek Lap Kok airport.

Losses at Hong Kong Airlines and sister company Hong Kong Express Airways had been sharply reduced, falling 75 per cent in the first four months from the same period last year, Mr Yang said.

This had been achieved through laying off pilots and cabin crew and reducing capacity by 30 to 40 per cent this year. However, Mr Yang did not provide any financial figures.

"Things are unlikely to turn around this year, but it could be possible next year," he said.

Mr Yang confirmed reports that Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express, both partially owned by HNA, were considering a merger.

Hong Kong Airlines, which operates eight Boeing 737-800 aircraft, and Hong Kong Express, which has six B737-800s, fly to about 20 destinations through code-sharing programmes.

Their combined network covers Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Bangkok, Phuket and Okinawa.

Mr Yang denied reports that casino mogul Stanley Ho Hung-sun planned to offload his 25 per cent stake in Hong Kong Express.

HK April air cargo suffers biggest fall in 3 mths

HONG KONG, May 11 (Reuters) - Air cargo throughput via Hong Kong fell more rapidly in April, dropping 22.5 percent from a year earlier, indicating still very weak global demand despite signs of a pick-up in China's economy, data released by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd (Hactl) showed on Monday.

Hactl warned that the global spread of the new flu strain H1N1 could further delay recovery of the air cargo market. Year-on-year change in air cargo via Hong Kong:

Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct
-22.5 -21.1 -22.0 -30.9 -29.7 -19.0 -9.8

"Further to the already gloomy global economy, the current Influenza A (H1N1) poses another challenge to the overall market confidence, which may further delay the recovery of the air cargo industry," Hactl said in a statement.

"Though this is a difficult time for the whole industry, we strongly believe that Hong Kong and Hactl both have the good foundation to face the current challenge and the air cargo industry will rebound quickly upon economic recovery."

Hong Kong is a re-export centre for trade between Asia and the rest of the world.

The data showed that air cargo volumes through Hong Kong in April totalled 174,809 tonnes, down 22.5 percent for the worst performance in three months.


Breakdown of air cargo handled by Hactl in April:
April 2009 Jan-Apr 2009
Tonnage Yr/Yr Tonnage Yr/Yr
(tonnes) growth (pct) (tonnes) growth (pct)
Export 89,984 -29.1 326,750 -28.6
Import 46,789 -19.1 169,748 -23.3
Transshipment 38,036 -7.2 141,325 -12.5
------------------------------------------------------
Total 174,809 -22.5 637,823 -24.1

Learn company creed or else, airlines warn staff
2 June 2009
South China Morning Post

Pilots and flight attendants with Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express have been ordered to memorise a lengthy creed about company values and threatened with punishment if they are unable to recite it in full.

The 10-line creed - described in a memo to staff as an "apophthegm", meaning a short, pithy and instructive saying - was circulated in English and Chinese a fortnight ago with a warning that random spot checks would be conducted by managers this month to make sure everyone had learned it.

Although apophthegms are by definition brief, the 68-word one circulated to all staff at the sister airlines is three words longer than the Christian Church's Lord's Prayer, and contains some even denser and more archaic phraseology.

Among its tougher-to-memorise lines are "Perseverance is the rule to sturdy progress", "Diligence leads research to accession of knowledge", "Careful recipe is the best medicine to health" and "Kindliness to youth endows the superior with virtue".

In an accompanying memo sent to all staff, employees were told to "study the following apophthegm thoroughly and apply it in daily life".

"All staff should keep firmly in mind the apophthegm," it says.

"Human resources department will follow up with the colleagues regarding on the practice of apophthegm after two to three weeks and management will conduct the random spot check after a month {hellip} please note that punishment will be given to those who could not recite the apophthegm."

The apophthegm is understood to have been borrowed from one used at Hainan Airlines, the mainland airline whose parent company is a majority shareholder in Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express.

A pilot with one of the two airlines, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "Everyone is astounded by this instruction. It isn't as if we haven't got more important things to worry about.

"Flight attendants have been going around with the apophthegm written out on cards since the memo went out, trying their best to learn it whenever they get a free minute. I've seen them studying it on the buses on their way to work.

"They are very worried because no one has said what the punishment will be for not memorising it. Cabin crew are worried that it might be used as a way to get rid of staff [who] management don't want to keep on."

A flight attendant, who also asked not to be named, said: "It is very insulting. It's like being back in primary school. Do they think that threatening us with punishment is really the way to get the best out of employees?"

Asked about the apophthegm, Shirley Kwok, product manager for Hong Kong Express, declined to say who wrote it or what the intention was behind ordering staff to memorise it. "We are not able to comment on internal company policy," she said. She declined to say what punishment would be given to employees who failed to memorise the apophthegm, saying the memo was intended only for "internal colleagues".

John Findlay, general secretary of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association, said: "When I first heard about this I thought it was a joke. When I discovered it was true I was incredulous.

"I have never heard of any reputable airline ordering staff to recite corporate culture words at the risk of being punished if not able to do so."

內地鐵路網 港航空業機遇
30 May 2009
星島日報

連接港深兩地機場的鐵路快將就可行性研究發表報告。在特區政府的管治危機日益嚴重和中港融合的大前提下，預料這個項目會一如報章所言盡快上馬，在維持香港航運中心競爭力的大前提下，即使耗費甚巨也不會遭遇到太大的反對聲音。但在決定興建這條鐵路前，尤其是動用數百億元公帑的時候，我們是否應該考慮哪一個方案更符合香港機場的長遠發展呢？要討論這個問題，我們應該將討論的層次提高，擴大至其他因素例如珠三角以外城市的連接及鐵路發展對交通模式的轉變等等。

城際鐵路 車程大減

從不同的研究報告指出，興建一條連接港深兩地機場的鐵路是不具成本效率的，兩個機場的客量根本不足以支持一條鐵路營運。於是最近的消息是傾向在港深兩地加設分站，既可藉本地綫來補貼鐵路本身的巨額潛在虧損，亦可加強珠三角與香港機場的連接，同時更可以減低社會的反對聲音。

即使加了兩個車站，又是否代表路綫的收益可以得到保證呢？根據深圳市軌道交通建設指揮部辦公室的工程簡介，他們預估每小時的客流量為三萬五千人。能否達這個目標實在抱有很大的疑問，在其經濟效率成疑問下，我們又是否沒有其他可行的替代方案呢？要維持香港機場的競爭力，擴大客源為必須的。除了繼續增加國際航綫上的選擇外，擴大內需亦是一個重要的任務。我們今天集中討論的內需普遍都只是局限於珠三角地區的客源，在內地鐵路發展一日千里下，我們更須考慮如何結合內地鐵路網完善香港機場和內地各城市之間的連接。

廣深港高速鐵路的（廣深段）的計畫中，有些車站提供了和其他城際鐵路的連結。例如新廣州站會和武廣客運專綫連結，新深圳站可以與東南部沿途城市連結。這些新鐵路大大縮短了城市之間的距離。對航空公司而言，快速而完善的鐵路網是內地航綫的最大敵人。在歐洲各大城市的交通網絡中，高速鐵路是一個頗受歡迎的選擇。除了價錢夠便宜外，免卻了繁複而費時的登機手續和接駁交通亦是重要的因素。由此可見，鐵路在中短程運輸具有極大的優勢。如果香港能善用內地鐵路網和本身優越的國際航綫網絡結合的話，我們很大機會在未來空運業維持一定的優勢。類似的合作在世界其他地方早有例子，在法國，國泰航空和法國國鐵的高速火車實施代號共享連接法國各大城市，能有此安排是因為巴黎戴高樂機場建立了連接各城市的鐵路網絡。

在香港要實行這個計畫，可以把廣深港高速鐵路香港段興建時在新界西北加設一個分支連接香港機場，而這個分支的所在點也可以考慮增設一個車站以促進新界西北的交通連接。儘管車程可能稍為延長，但對香港經濟發展絕對有正面的影響。在理解航空業的發展時，我們也應考慮內地鐵路發展能夠帶來的潛在機遇，因為在不久將來，城際鐵路不再是動輒十多二十小時的車程。

Learn company creed or else, airlines warn staff

I heard about this on PPRuNe a week ago and i thought this is a joke ......This is more than insulting, back in primary school we've never been forced to memorize the creed too.......what kind of idiot come up with this kind of crazy idea??? are we in mainland china or what?

I heard about this on PPRuNe a week ago and i thought this is a joke ......This is more than insulting, back in primary school we've never been forced to memorize the creed too.......what kind of idiot come up with this kind of crazy idea??? are we in mainland china or what?

The source of this 'scheme' came from the mainland parent company. Perhaps still a lot of old school people in their management ranks.

名師設計機場俱樂部
30 May 2009

【明報專訊】紅地氈俱樂部（Red Carpet Club），是聯合航空在香港國際機場其中一個最大的候機室，總面積逾1100平方米，2008年3月才翻新。俱樂部由Destination Limited的香港設計師Nathan Tsang設計，並飾上香港藝術家Patrick Lee和著名攝影師水禾田的作品。除了招待聯合航空的頭等及商務旅客外，也為特選的「前程萬里」會員提供服務。紅地氈俱樂部同時是「星空聯盟」的貴賓候機室。俱樂部提供的設施和服務包括訂票服務、私人休息室及淋灑沐浴室、網路連接、四個服務齊全的水吧、商業服務、電話及傳真等。

地點：香港國際機場7樓離境層西大堂（近61號閘口）

開放時間：上午7:00至晚上9:30

Copters grounded after crash
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, June 05, 2009

Hong Kong Aviation Club will temporarily ground all single-engine helicopter operations following an investigation into a crash early last month that occurred during windy conditions.

Initial investigations into the May 1 crash in which three people were injured ruled out mechanical failure, the Civil Aviation Department said yesterday.

But single-engine helicopter operations will be suspended from the helipad at Kai Tak until extra safety measures are put in place.

"The accident may have been caused by the prevailing weather and the operating experience of the pilot in tailwind conditions," a spokesman said.

The department will be carrying out a further in-depth investigation before drawing a final conclusion about what caused the accident.

The two-seater Robinson R22 Beta II crashed into a parked tour bus near the aviation club, injuring the 48-year-old pilot Ng Shu-keung, his eight-year-old son and the bus driver.

The department said Ng had logged 318 hours of flying aircraft and helicopters of which 201 hours were on the R22.

Ng was returning from a three-hour flight but encountered difficulties in stabilizing the helicopter, spinning out of control as he attempted a third landing.

The helicopter crashed roughly 100 meters from the landing pad near Sung Wong Toi Road, Kowloon City. TIMOTHY CHUI

Source :

http://www.hktdc.com/resources/MI/Index_Static_Type/st/2009/04/200054/1241856871208_vol32_1_200050.jpg

http://www.hktdc.com/resources/MI/Article/st/2009/03/38178/1242876000772_air_38178.jpg

Pilot's inexperience and winds blamed for crash
5 June 2009
South China Morning Post

Weather and the lack of experience of a pilot in tailwind conditions may be the causes of the May 1 crash of a helicopter into a parked tour bus in Kowloon City, according to a preliminary report released yesterday.

The Civil Aviation Department report said the accident could have been caused by "the prevailing weather at the time of the accident and the operating experience of the pilot under tailwind conditions".

"Under the effect of a prevailing wind of east-southeast at 16 knots and controlling the helicopter towards the northwest in a tailwind, the pilot encountered difficulties in stabilising the helicopter during the first approach and performed a go-around," the report said.

The report revealed the pilot attempted a second approach and decided to perform another due to difficulties in stabilising the aircraft.

"As he was making a turn to the right, the helicopter started a spin in a clockwise direction. While the helicopter was spinning, it began to lose altitude and drifted in a northerly direction until it impacted the windscreen of a coach parked in the parking lot," the report continued.

The pilot held a Hong Kong private pilot's licence for helicopters and a valid medical certificate, and had 318 hours of flying experience.

The department has recommended that single-engined helicopter operations at Kai Tak should be suspended temporarily, and will continue to collect information to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident.

"More in-depth investigation and analysis work has to be done before a conclusion can be drawn on what caused the accident," a department spokesman said.

The helicopter carrying pilot Ng Shu-keung, 48, and his eight-year-old son smashed into the front of the bus about 100 metres from where it was scheduled to land at the aviation club's helipad in Sung Wong Toi Road. Both were trapped in the helicopter's cabin but were conscious when rescuers arrived. A technician working on the bus suffered slight injuries from flying glass. The front of the bus was badly damaged.

South Korea's Incheon voted world's best airport

SINGAPORE, June 9 (Reuters) - South Korea's Incheon International Airport was voted the best in the world for 2009 in an annual survey dominated by Asian airports.

The survey, by British-based consultancy Skytrax, covered more than 190 airports and is based on the results from 8.6 million passenger questionnaires completed from 2008 to 2009.

Incheon narrowly beat Hong Kong International Airport, last year's number one which came in second, and Singapore's Changi, which fell to third place this year from number 2 in 2008.

Skytrax said in a statement that the final margins between the top three airports were so narrow that at one stage the company thought it would have a three-way tie for first place in the "World Airport Awards".

"Incheon is an airport that has been in the global top 5 ranking for the World Airport Awards during the past 5-6 years, and it is a great achievement for them to secure this premier mark of customer satisfaction," Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted said.

The survey evaluates traveller experiences across 39 different airport service and products, ranging from check-in, arrivals, transfer through to departure at the gate.

Switzerland's Zurich airport was the highest ranked European airport, and was also voted the best in the region, coming in at number 4, while Germany's Munich airport was voted in at number 5, the same position it was in last year.

Japan's Kansai and Centrair Nagoya airports were also among the top 10, as was Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur airport.

New Zealand's Auckland airport, which was also voted the best in the Australia-Pacific region, rounded up the top 10.

In the regional categories, Dallas/Fort Worth was voted the best airport for North America, Peru's Lima the best for South America and Panama's airport the best in Central America.

Tel Aviv aws voted the Middle East's best airport and Cape Town the best in Africa.

(A list of the world's top 10 airports is on www.airlinequality.com/news/090609_Airports.htm)

Deccan 360 air freight link to Hong Kong ready for take-off
8 June 2009
Lloyd's List

AN AIR cargo and logistics venture has been launched by Deccan 360, a newly formed airline that has just inaugurated freighter services between India and Hong Kong, writes Keith Wallis.

The carrier is targeting the automotive, textile, pharmaceutical and retail sectors in its quest to expand from a single 25-tonne capacity Airbus A310 freighter to six aircraft by the end of this year.

The airline was founded by Gorur Ramaswamy Gopinath, who owns 8% of Deccan 360, as a partnership between Kingfisher Airways and Air Deccan, which he formed in 2003. Deccan 360 is offering airfreight, logistics and distribution services.

The carrier operates two flights per week between Delhi and Hong Kong via Chennai and Dubai using one A310. Deccan 360 plans to add two more A310s on international routes plus three ATR turboprop aircraft that can carry up to nearly eight tonnes that will be used on express feeder operations in India.

The airline is also building a 40 ha cargo hub at Nagpur and is contracting India’s GMR group to operate express cargo facilities at Delhi and Hyderabad airports. In Hong Kong, Deccan 360 is using the Asia Airfreight Terminal.

Commenting on the market potential, Deccan 360 said India’s express air cargo market is set to grow by 18%-20% per annum over the next few years despite the global slowdown.

“Rapid growth in the domestic express market is expected to be driven by manufacturing growth, heavy infrastructure investments and increased express penetration,” the airline said.

The carrier is in talks with potential investors, both about taking a stake in the airline and setting up trucking and logistics operations in India that will be developed as Deccan 360 franchises.

Mr Gopinath said two of the airline investors are based in the US while a third is in Europe, although he did not identify them. He envisaged the ground-based logistics services could involve up to 100 franchisees.

He added: “I am in talks, but we will wait for two or three months as operations get started and investor confidence improves.”

Deccan 360 was formed with about $30m of equity. Mr Gopinath said a further cash injection of $25m-$30m would be needed over the next six months to finance expansion.

Plans take wing for outlet mall at airport
10 June 2009
South China Morning Post

Plans to establish Hong Kong as a centre for premium outlet shopping could be realised soon as the government seeks ways to promote trade, tourism and economic growth in the economic downturn.

The Outlet! Company is looking to set up shop near the airport, on a site between Terminal Two and the AsiaWorld-Expo venue. The site is currently occupied by car parks and a temporary golf course.

Premium outlet malls sell merchandise, often surplus stock, of many brands at discounted prices. The concept allows retailers to move excess inventory.

The Outlet! Company president Daniel Kelly said he thought the government was seriously considering a recommendation from its Task Force on Economic Challenges to develop a new premium outlet centre. "I think they're at a point now where they're looking to make a final decision," he said. "So I don't think it's far off."

"The government, from the very early days, has been very supportive. They understand that it is a combination of commerce as well as tourism. They have offered land before but just not the right piece of land."

Although Mr Kelly has been talking to various government departments about the privately funded project for about nine months, he said there was no concrete deal on the table yet.

Outlet malls are not new to Hong Kong but have met with varying degrees of success. A number of major retailers have their own outlets, like Joyce Boutique and Lane Crawford. Swire Properties managed to rejuvenate Citygate shopping centre in Tung Chung by turning it into an outlet mall with year-round discounts of between 30 per cent and 70 per cent on more than 60 brands.

The proposed site is already earmarked for commercial use, and a premium outlet mall would not interfere with AsiaWorld-Expo's expansion plans - but the final decision on the land use rests with the Airport Authority. An authority spokesman said it was working on its 2030 master plan and had not yet decided on the long-term use of its land.

Under the proposal, a premium outlet shopping mall would be developed in phases. The first phase is expected to cover between 40,000 square metres and 50,000 square metres and feature 150 to 200 shops. The entire site of more than 150,000 square metres would include 300 street-level shops with some two-storey buildings. Investors interested in the project include Global Sources, which stages trade shows at AsiaWorld-Expo.

First regular A380 service to HKIA!!! Singapore Airline is going to run daily service with A380 between Singapore and HK beginning in July.
:banana::banana::banana:

News Releases

A380 To Fly To The Pearl Of The Orient
11 June 2009

Singapore Airlines will fly the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, on the Singapore-Hong Kong route from 9 July 2009.

Hong Kong will be the fifth international destination and second Asian city which Singapore Airlines operates the superjumbo aircraft to. The Airline started operating the A380 in October 2007 to Sydney and subsequently added services to London, Tokyo and Paris.

The daily A380 flights will replace an existing daily B777-300ER service to Hong Kong. The operation of the 471-seat Singapore Airlines A380 to Hong Kong represents an increase of 10% in seat capacity to the city.

“The operation of the A380 to Hong Kong shows our confidence in the demand for both business and leisure travel between Singapore and the famed ‘Pearl of the Orient’. Hong Kong is a vibrant business hub and at the same time it has much to offer leisure travellers looking for great places to shop, eat and play,” said Mr. Huang Cheng Eng, Singapore Airlines’ Executive Vice President, Marketing and the Regions.

Following the commencement of the A380 service, SQ862, from Singapore to Hong Kong, will be re-numbered SQ856. SQ856 will depart Singapore Changi Airport at 0945hrs and arrive in Hong Kong at 1330hrs. On the return leg, SQ861 will depart Hong Kong International Airport at 1600hrs and touch down in Singapore at 1940hrs.

Singapore Airlines currently operates five daily non-stop flights between Singapore and Hong Kong, along with daily non-stop services between Hong Kong and San Francisco.

Customers travelling on the Singapore Airlines A380 to Hong Kong will experience unrivalled standards of luxury and sophistication in air travel.

Exclusively available on the A380 are the Singapore Airlines Suites. Each Suite customer enjoys a high level of privacy in his own cabin in the sky, behind sliding doors and adjustable roller blinds. The Suites come furnished with a luxurious and fully adjustable leather seat, upholstered by world-renowned Poltrona Frau, and a full-sized bed. For entertainment, customers can enjoy crystal-clear images on a sleek 23-inch high-resolution LCD monitor, mounted on the wall in each Suite.

The Singapore Airlines A380 Business Class is in a league of its own. Measuring 86 centimetres (34 inches) in width, the Business Class seat is one of the widest in the world and each has direct access to the aisle. Each seat can be converted into a comfortable wide bed, simply by folding down the seat back.

Singapore Airlines’ new Economy Class seats offer customers unprecedented comfort and space. The ergonomically designed seat not only maximises knee and legroom, it also boasts intelligent features such as a non-intrusive reading light and height-adjustable leather headrests with side panels.

Customers across all three classes can enjoy a wide range of the latest movies, TV programmes and a library of CDs on KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines’ award-winning inflight entertainment system. Come mealtime, delectable inflight meals, designed exclusively by world-class chefs like Matt Moran from Australia, Zhu Jun from China and Sam Leong from Singapore, are served and presented on exclusive Givenchy-designed service ware.

Singapore Airlines currently has eight A380s in service, a further 11 on firm order, and options on six more.


Source: http://www.singaporeair.com/mediacentre/pacontent/news/NE_3409.jsp

HONG KONG SIGNS AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MALDIVES

HONG KONG, June 12 Asia Pulse - Hong Kong's 59th air services agreement was signed in Hong Kong Thursday with the Republic of Maldives.

The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Eva Cheng, and Ambassador of the Republic of Maldives to the People's Republic of China, Ahmed Latheef, signed the agreement between the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Government of the Republic of Maldives.

The agreement provides a legal framework for establishing air links between Hong Kong and the Maldives, which will boost tourism and contribute to economic development, according to a statement released by the Hong Kong government.

"It is in our mutual interest to establish direct air links between the two places," Ms Cheng said at the signing ceremony.

"The signing of the agreement is in line with our policy of progressive liberalisation in air services between Hong Kong and our aviation partners."

JAL to cut flights in Asia on slow recovery
15 June 2009
Agence France Presse

Asia's largest carrier, Japan Airlines (JAL), said Monday it would temporarily reduce flights in the region due to lower demand caused by the global economic crisis.

The number of round-trip flights between Narita International Airport, the main gateway to Tokyo, and Beijing will be cut from 19 to 14 a week between August 1 and October 24, the company said in a statement.

JAL will also reduce the number of weekly flights between Narita and Seoul from 28 to 21 between July 1 and October 24. There are to be other cuts on its Narita routes to Taipei, Shanghai and New Delhi.

It will also cut flights between Haneda, another Tokyo airport, and Hong Kong in September and October, and between Kansai in western Japan and Seoul from August 1 to October 24. It will reduce services between Kansai and Shanghai over the same period.

"Due to the impact of the recession, a recovery in demand for flights has been delayed and we plan to secure profitability by adjusting our supply capacity," JAL said in a statement.

A company spokesman said the airline would raise the number of flights to current levels following these periods.

The International Air Transport Association said last week that the Asia-Pacific, which is forecast to lose 3.3 billion dollars in 2009, or more than a third of global losses, may see a recovery next year.

Hong Kong May air cargo throughput drops 18.6 pct

HONG KONG, June 11 (Reuters) - Air cargo throughput via Hong Kong fell 18.6 percent in May, the smallest monthly decline since October but still damped by weak global demand, particularly in Europe, data from Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd showed on Thursday.

In April, cargo dropped 19.8 percent from a year earlier.

Cargo exported to Europe in May slumped more than 30 percent from a year earlier, but throughput to the Middle East and Africa surged 21 percent and 21.5 percent respectively.

Hong Kong is a re-export centre for trade between Asia and the rest of the world.

Air cargo volumes through Hong Kong in May totalled 117,980 tonnes.


Breakdown of air cargo handled by Hactl in May:
May 2009 Jan-May 2009
Tonnage Yr/Yr Tonnage Yr/Yr
(tonnes) growth (pct) (tonnes) growth (pct)
Export 90,637 -23.3 417,387 -27.5
Import 49,597 -16.4 219,345 -21.8
Transshipment 37,746 -8.3 179,071 -11.6
-----------------------------------------------------
Total 177,980 -18.6 815,803 -23.0

Hong Kong's air cargo traffic drops 17.6 percent
15 June 2009
Agence France Presse

Air cargo shipped through Hong Kong dropped 17.6 percent year-on-year in May, the city's airport authority said, as the global downturn continued to slash demand for goods made in southern China.

Hong Kong International Airport handled 259,000 tonnes of cargo in May as shrinking markets in Europe and the United States hit traffic hardest, the Airport Authority Hong Kong said in a statement released Sunday.

The number of passengers passing through the airport, which is one of Asia's key transport hubs, dropped 12.7 percent year-on-year to 3.6 million, the statistics showed.

Passenger markets that suffered most were southeast Asia, Taiwan, Japan, China and north America.

The total number of journeys in and out of the airport dropped 9.1 percent over the same period.

"The negative performance reflected largely the impact of continuing global recession and the new but serious impact of influenza A(H1N1) virus, further weakening the aviation market and resulting in airlines reducing flight frequencies," said Airport Authority chief executive officer Stanley Hui.

He said he expected the trend to continue through June.

7 slightly injured when Qantas flight hits turbulence over Malaysian Borneo
22 June 2009

PERTH, Australia (AP) - A Qantas plane hit turbulence and suddenly lost altitude over Malaysia, throwing terrified passengers around the cabin and leaving seven people injured, the airline said Monday.

The Airbus A330 with 219 passengers and crew aboard was flying from Hong Kong to the Australian west coast city of Perth overnight when it struck "severe turbulence" over Malaysian Borneo, Qantas said in a statement.

Passengers later described the panic and confusion in the darkened cabin as passengers not wearing seat belts were hurled from their seats.

"It appeared like we'd just dropped out of a 30-storey building," uninjured passenger Keith Huxtable said. "It was dark ... people screamed."

Passenger Michelle Knight, also not hurt, said the crew told her the plane had plunged 100 feet (30 meters).

Six passengers and a crew member were treated on board for minor injuries, Qantas corporate affairs manager David Epstein said. The captain reported minor damage inside the cabin, Epstein told Fairfax Radio.

Australian government safety officials were investigating the incident.

"There is no reason to link the incident to other recent in-flight incidents involving A330 aircraft," the Qantas statement said.

Three weeks ago, an Air France A330 jet fell into the Atlantic Ocean off the northeastern coast of Brazil after running into thunderstorms, killing all 228 people aboard. Investigations into that accident have focused on a flurry of automated messages sent by the plane minutes before it lost contact. One of the messages suggested a failure in the speed readings, and some experts have speculated the external instruments iced over.

In October, a computer malfunction on a Qantas A330 flying from Singapore to Perth caused the jet to nose-dive twice, leaving 12 passengers and crew seriously injured.

The Australian carrier underwent a safety review last year after a series of problems, including an oxygen tank explosion on a Boeing 747-400 that ripped a hole in the jet's fuselage last July, forcing it to make an emergency landing in the Philippines. No one was injured.

Bid to showcase city's best products
13 June 2009
China Daily - Hong Kong Edition

HONG KONG: Some of the city's most prominent and established products will, for the first time, be showcased and promoted to some 100,000 travelers who use the Hong Kong International Airport any given day, bolstering their brand recognition and recall in the process.

Sixteen of Hong Kong's most prominent product brands are to be exhibited at the airport under a project dubbed Parade of Hong Kong Top Brands.

The exhibitors will include local catering giant Maxim's and Chinese herbal medicine company Hoe Hin Pak Fah Yeow.

The exhibition, organized by the Hong Kong Brand Development Council (HKBDC) and the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, will run until November 30. Admission is free.

HKBDC Chairwoman Shirley Chan said on Friday that around 100,000 people use the airport, making it an ideal venue for the exhibition.

"The council has been participating in almost 20 exhibitions in Hong Kong and different cities on the mainland, but this is our first time to organize a local-brand-promoting event in such an important transportation hub," Chan said at the opening ceremony Friday at the airport.

She added that the exhibition will play a crucial role in promoting Hong Kong brands over the next six months.

Danny Ngai, vice-president of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, said the local industrial and commercial sectors have gone through severe challenges amid the city's deepening economic recession, triggered by the global financial crisis.

"While many local enterprises are dealing with their short-term difficulties in operations, they have yet to slow down the pace for establishing their brands," he said.

That the exhibition is being held amid adverse economic conditions reflect the determination and commitment of member companies to develop their brand image, Ngai added.

Around 140 brands which have won the Hong Kong Top Brand Awards and Hong Kong Top Service Brand Awards in the past decade are also displayed in the exhibition.

"It is a conclusion and evaluation of our 10-year work," Ngai said.

Hong Kong International Airport Chief Executive Officer Stanley Hui said the city's airport, like the products on display, is one of the most prestigious brands in Hong Kong.

"This exhibition has showed many home-grown products of high quality, while some of them even have long-standing history," Hui said. "These products might refresh the memory of many Hong Kong people."

Hui, meanwhile, said passenger volume at the airport posted a double-digit drop in May due mainly to the outbreak of the A(H1N1) influenza.

"Cargo volume has been maintained at 9,000 to 10,000 tons per day in the past two months," he said. "We expect the drop in cargo volume to narrow down in the near term."

HK Airport Authority Last FY Net Profit Up 14% At HK$2.59 Bln
24 June 2009

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Airport Authority Hong Kong, which operates the city's international airport, said Wednesday its net profit for the year ended March 31 rose 14%, on higher passenger traffic and retail income in the April-September half before the global financial crisis started to hit air traffic.

"Clearly the aviation industry continues to suffer from the economic recession and traffic performance at HKIA will continue to reflect this," said Stanley Hui, chief executive of the airport authority.

The unlisted government-owned airport operator said net profit for its last fiscal year rose to HK$2.59 billion (US$334.2 million) from HK$2.27 billion the previous year. Its return on equity rose to 7.2% from 6.5%.

Revenue increased 3.6% to HK$8.89 billion from HK$8.58 billion.

In its last fiscal year, the airport handled 47.7 million passengers, or 2.5% fewer than the previous year, and cargo volume throughput fell 10% to 3.4 million metric tons.

"The huge increase in cross-strait direct flights...expected to be seen later this year will bring about further impact on passenger and cargo volumes at HKIA," Hui said.

Mainland China and Taiwan have been increasing the number of direct cross-strait flights amid warming relations. Previously, travelers between mainland China and Taiwan had to pass through a third location, usually Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong airport authority also said it will pay its sole shareholder, the Hong Kong government, a dividend of HK$2.2 billion for the last fiscal year, up 10% from HK$2.0 billion the previous fiscal year.

It said 35%-owned Xiaoshan International Airport in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, contributed a net profit of HK$193 million in the last fiscal year, more than double its contribution the previous fiscal year.

Travel agents take to the streets as airlines plan to slash commission
24 June 2009
The Standard

Hundreds of travel agents from eight trade associations yesterday protested against airlines Air France and KLM over a plan to slash commission payments.

The agents warned they may be forced to charge travelers a service fee to make up for the loss of income.

Convener of the Alliance Against Commission Cuts by Air France/KLM Tommy Tam Kwong-shun accused the airlines of cutting out ticketing agents to enhance their own online service.

Sister companies Air France and KLM announced last month that they will reduce their agency commission from 5 percent to 3 percent in October, and pay no commission at all by April 1 next year.

The alliance, which represents 1,496 agents, said the cut will make business even harder in an environment already suffering from the global financial tsunami and H1N1 outbreak.

Tam said commission is the main source of income for many agents, and warned a service fee of about 5 percent of the ticket price may be charged in future.

Although Air France and KLM's market share in Hong Kong is only about 2 percent on worldwide destinations, Tam fears it will create a chain reaction among other airlines.

The protesters marched from the piazza outside COSCO Tower, Sheung Wan, to the office of Air France and KLM in nearby Vicwood Plaza and appealed to other industry members to stop selling tickets for the two airlines.

In response, the airlines said the zero commission is a global trend, and that agents should make money by providing professional services instead of relying solely on commissions.

Spokesmen for Cathay Pacific, Dragon Airlines and British Airways said they have no plan to drop commissions.

港深機場互補 中國駁通世界; 穗爭做空運一哥 挑戰港地位
24 June 2009
香港經濟日報

　　在珠三角《綱要》出台後，廣州雄心勃勃建立大廣州策略，要在海運及空運上，既吸納內地的人流、貨源運往外地，也希望成為外國貨運來中國的集散地，建立全國海空樞紐地位。

　　香港是否建第3條跑道遲遲未有定案，但已擁有3條跑道的廣州白雲機場，已計劃在2020年建成第5條跑道，到時人流的吞吐量比香港現時高一倍多。專家認為，香港應積極拓展國際航線，與深圳聯合，否則數年後會被廣州超越，難保珠三角第一機場地位。

　　珠三角五大機場惡鬥多年，《綱要》發布後，促使五大巨頭坐下來，首次達成各自定位，但香港並不能就此安枕無憂。事實上，廣州為落實《綱要》，發展大廣州策略，其中白雲機場以驚人速度發展。

穗建第5跑道 吞吐量勢超港

　　2004年8月至今，白雲機場已陸續開通了30多條國際航線，國際航線總數接近60條。2010年前，機場將完成第3條跑道建設，第4及第5條跑道將分別於2015年、2020年建成。屆時可應付每年9,000萬至1億人次吞吐量，成為泛珠三角最大的機場。

　　由於貨源集中在珠三角，白雲機場重點提升貨運方面競爭力，機場已招攬聯邦快遞落戶，建立亞太貨物轉運中心，並籌建全國最大物流保稅區，有助發展物流配置中心。這些本是香港已在做或計劃發展的項目。

　　據統計，香港航空客貨吞吐量目前仍拋離廣州，仍是泛珠三角吞吐能力最大的機場；去年香港機場的客運人次達4,860萬、貨運量360萬公噸，高於廣州機場的3,343.72萬人次及68.59萬公噸。

　　中山大學港澳珠三角研究所教授鄭天祥認為，香港若不積極提升競爭力，遲早被廣州超越；事實上，香港航空客運量去年只有1.7%增長，但廣州高達8%。

　　他估計廣州空港客運吞吐量將在2015年超越香港，貨運亦很可能在10年後與香港平起平坐；香港倘不積極增加國際航線、加強與深圳機場合作，迎戰廣州競爭，香港作為區內國際航空樞紐的地位恐難保。

　　面對廣州空港競爭，但港府的看法似較樂觀，有港府官員認為，在5大機場中僅香港定位為國際航空樞紐，故廣州白雲機場縱然不斷擴建，香港仍存優勢，反而對深圳機場構成更大競爭威脅，所以認定港深機場合作，以及將香港機場的腹地擴至珠三角，是鞏固香港機場地位的出路。

海外客赴蘇州 可來港經深飛

　　他說，珠三角各機場也希望拓展國際航線，但暫只有香港有自主航權談判優勢，即使廣州及深圳現仍要透過中央分配各城市機場國際航班數量。

　　「香港飛內地二、三線城市航班少，但深圳內地航班則較多，如兩機場接通，舉例說國際旅客想去蘇州，便可先從外地來港，再轉到深圳飛往蘇州。」港府官員指這便是港深優勢互補，深圳機場亦可吸引外國旅客，增加與廣州機場競爭能力。

港深機鐵 前海洪水橋設站

　　商討中的港深機場鐵路，港府希望與深圳優勢互補、擴大香港機場的腹地。因按照有關構想，鐵路會於香港的洪水橋，以及對岸深圳的前海設站，當中前海會是深圳未來第2個市中心，亦是規劃作深圳服務中心區域，發展潛力大。

　　港府消息指，「將來前海站想做到如現時的機鐵中環站及九龍站般，可以在此辦登機手續，寄送行李，搭約23分鐘車便到達香港機場，就如你由中環站搭機鐵到機場，也是23分鐘。」

Qantas jet in the dark on turbulence risk
23 June 2009
The Australian

THE inability of radar on a Perth-bound Qantas Airbus to detect ice crystals will be at the centre of an air safety investigation into severe turbulence that threw passengers out of their seats, injuring up to 12 people.

The A330-300 aircraft plunged suddenly over Borneo early yesterday before landing safely at Perth International Airport just before 8am.

``All of a sudden the plane dropped -- I reckon about a 30-storey building -- and there was a hell of a kerfuffle in the plane,'' passenger Keith Huckstable told ABC radio.

Qantas said crew on the Airbus, which was carrying 206 passengers and 13 crew, were given little notice of the approaching turbulence, four hours after leaving Hong Kong.

Qantas said last night it appeared nothing had gone wrong with flight QF68's systems, and the airline retained confidence in the A330 despite several recent incidents.

Three weeks ago, an Air France A330-200 mysteriously crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 228 on board, while

last October 70 people were injured on a Qantas A330-300 flying over Western Australia when the plane suddenly lost altitude after an apparent computer malfunction.

Australian and International Pilots Association president Barry Jackson said he had spoken to QF68's captain, Paul Flack, and the aircraft may have hit cloud-associated convective turbulence, which the weather radar could not pick up.

``The radar is designed to pick up moisture; it's not designed to pick up turbulence or ice crystals,'' Captain Jackson said.

``Around Borneo there is some high terrain and obviously that's probably where the clouds have come from.''

After the jet landed in Perth, Captain Flack told passengers convective turbulence was not normally visible to weather radar, which was designed to detect moisture but not ice crystals.

Qantas corporate affairs manager David Epstein also said convective turbulence was likely to have caused the plane to soar 800 feet before falling back to its cruising altitude of 38,000 feet.

Six passengers and one crew member were taken to Royal Perth Hospital suffering neck and back pain after the plane landed. One man reportedly received a cut to the head.

All were released yesterday afternoon.

Passengers likened the experience, which lasted 15-20 seconds, to plunging into a deep hole. Lightning cracked outside, people screamed and those not wearing seatbelts were flung about the cabin.

Michelle Knight was part of a group of 12 people, including six children, returning to Perth from a holiday in Hong Kong.

``It really shook everyone up,'' she said. ``There were things flying everywhere. You just turned around and there were things all over the floor. We saw all the people in front of us all go up at the same time and all go down at the same time. Everyone sort of went sideways.''

Another member of the group, Elsie Hudson, said her friend Vicky Richards was one of those injured.

``There was this massive drop and Vicky, who was with us, she didn't have a seatbelt on and she hit the roof, the console, and she actually cracked it and took one of the light covers off,'' she said.

``She was in a lot of pain in the end, her headache progressed worse and worse and her neck got worse and worse, and by the end she couldn't move.''

Passengers received an apology from Qantas and an offer of counselling and the reimbursement of medical expenses. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the incident.

Cargo handlers missed radioactive package
27 June 2009
South China Morning Post

A radioactive consignment that went missing from a China Eastern Airlines flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong has turned up back in Shanghai after a hiccup in cargo handling.

Two small lead containers holding 60 seeds of iodine-125 used to treat prostate cancer were sent to Hong Kong on Tuesday, but medical supplies company Global Medical Solutions reported them missing when they did not show up.

Yesterday a China Eastern official, who did not want to be identified, said cargo handlers had not seen the package in a cargo container because it was so small, and the "empty" tray was returned to the aircraft and flown back to Shanghai.

"The package of the parcel was intact and there is no evidence of any leakage of radioactive substance," the official said.

The parcel had not been delivered to anywhere outside the security areas of the airports in Shanghai and Hong Kong, he said.

It was believed that because of the size of the parcel, a cube of 16 sq cm, workers at the cargo terminal mistakenly thought the container was empty and returned it to the plane.

It was the first time the airline had lost track of a dangerous shipment in its history of cargo handling, the official said.

Qantas defends A330 after new turbulence scare
22 June 2009
Agence France Presse

Qantas on Monday defended its fleet of Airbus A330s after severe turbulence left 12 people injured in the latest scare involving the aircraft.

The Australian flag-carrier blamed the incident during a flight from Hong Kong to Perth on freak weather conditions and dismissed any link to other A330 accidents including the Air France disaster on June 1.

"There is nothing to link the aircraft to anything untoward," said company spokesman David Epstein.

Flight QF68 was passing over Malaysia about four hours into its flight when it was hit by a blast of ferocious turbulence, dropping about 100 feet (30 metres) and sending passengers flying.

"It appeared like we'd just dropped out of a 30-storey building," said passenger Keith Huxtable, as another traveller described how a woman was flung into the plane's ceiling.

"I was sitting at the exit door and I had this lady, (who) was waiting at the restroom and she flew up and hit the ceiling and came crashing down to the floor," the passenger, named John, told Fairfax radio.

"It was just a matter of a few seconds but it was really sudden and things went flying."

Twelve people were treated for bruises and neck and back pain after the plane landed at about 7:30 am (2330 GMT Sunday) in Perth, AAP news agency said.

The incident comes just 11 days after a cockpit blaze forced a Jetstar A330 to make an emergency landing, and also follows the Air France tragedy when 228 died in a mysterious accident involving the same model of plane.

Last October, a Qantas A330 went into two steep dives over Western Australia, causing several serious injuries and prompting an emergency landing.

Qantas, which has 10 A330-300s and six Airbus A330-200s and also operates budget airline Jetstar, dismissed any links between Monday's incident and previous ones.

"There is no reason to link the incident to other recent in-flight incidents involving A330 aircraft," Qantas said in a statement, adding an investigation was under way.

Airport Authority Declares HK$2,200 Million Final Dividend to the
Hong Kong Government
Press Release

(HONG KONG, 24 June 2009) – Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) today declared a final dividend of HK$2,200 million to its shareholder, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, for the financial year ended 31 March 2009, an increase of 10.0% on the previous year. Turnover and profit attributable to the equity shareholder rose 3.6% and 13.9% to $8,886 million and $2,588 million, respectively.

For the 12 months ended 31 March 2009, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) handled 47.7 million passengers and 296,000 air traffic movements, showing mild falls of 2.5% and 1.1%, respectively. Cargo volumes recorded a larger drop of 10.0% to 3.4 million tonnes.

The aviation market worldwide has been hard hit by the global recession brought about abruptly by the financial tsunami that started in September 2008, which caused worldwide travel and economic activities to shrink. The launch of cross-strait direct flights also had a negative impact on traffic volumes at HKIA during the year under review.

Airport Authority Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer Stanley Hui Hon-chung said, "Although the financial tsunami dealt a heavy blow to the global economy and the aviation industry, the AA managed to achieve a reasonably healthy financial performance for 2008/09 by implementing tight cost controls, enhancing productivity and revising the schedule of our short-term expansion plans. These measures, together with the relatively stronger traffic and earnings performance in the first half of the financial year, have helped to mitigate the negative impact of the economic downturn."

A combination of factors accounted for the positive financial performance. In addition to a 19.5% growth of profit attributable to the equity shareholder recorded for the first half of the financial year, retail revenue showed an 8.3% increase due to higher spending per passenger and the availability of additional retail space in Terminal 1. The share of profit from the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport joint venture also contributed to the profit growth. During the year, the AA booked a profit of $193 million from the joint venture, a 116.9% increase from the previous year.

Improvements were also made on the cost front. The AA recorded a 3.2% reduction in depreciation and amortisation and a 45.2% drop in interest and finance charges, realising savings of $265 million. Profit performance was a combined result of increased revenue and better cost control which led to an improvement in return on equity from 6.5% to 7.2%.

"Our near-term performance will depend on a number of factors. Clearly the aviation industry continues to suffer from the economic recession and traffic performance at HKIA will continue to reflect this. The spread of H1N1 around different parts of the world has also dampened travel desire, which has been reflected in passenger volume since May this year. The huge increase in cross-strait direct flights, operating on a scheduled basis with air cargo carried in the belly of the passenger flights, expected to be seen later this year will bring about further impact on passenger and cargo volumes at HKIA," added Mr Hui.

"Nevertheless, we remain confident in the longer term growth of HKIA because the economy of Mainland China remains robust, particularly in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region. We will continue to control costs diligently while maintaining the highest standards of safety, reliability, security and service quality at HKIA. We will also continue to work with airlines, other business partners and the government to maintain and strengthen HKIA's aviation centre status," said Mr Hui.

Airport Authority Hong Kong's Executive Director, Finance & Investment, Raymond Lai Wing-chueng, said, "During the year, the AA froze headcounts and ensured that all possible areas of cost-savings were identified, translating into a saving of 5.1% of the budgeted operating expenses. Earnings growth, however, was under pressure in light of the contraction in air traffic volumes. The $450 million relief package announced in April 2009 to help airlines and other businesses operating at HKIA will naturally affect revenue and profit next year."

To plan ahead for the next 20 years, the AA is working on the HKIA Master Plan 2030. The Master Plan will update air traffic forecasts, capacity requirements, development proposals and growth strategies, including the technical and environmental feasibility of a third runway.

In addition to long-term planning, several new facilities will commence services this year. These facilities include the permanent SkyPier which replaces the current temporary SkyPier. The permanent SkyPier connects HKIA with the PRD including Macao through high speed ferry services linking six ports in the PRD region with HKIA. The North Satellite Concourse and the first phase of the Permanent Aviation Fuel Facility will start operating soon too. When in operation, the concourse, part of the $4.5 billion capacity and facility enhancement programme that started in 2006, will provide 10 bridge-served stands for narrow-bodied aircraft.

HKIA's two mainland joint ventures performed well last year. Passenger and cargo volumes at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport reached 12.7 million and 210,793 tonnes in 2008, up 8.0% and 7.7% from 2007, respectively. Managed under AA's joint venture with the Zhuhai Municipal Government, Zhuhai Airport achieved cash flow break-even for the first time in its 13-year operating history. Zhuhai Airport handled 1.1 million passengers and 11,140 tonnes of cargo in 2008, representing year-on-year increases of 7.8% and 3.7%.

The AA remains committed to maintaining HKIA as a regional and international aviation centre and a preferred gateway to Mainland China. This is important in supporting the economic growth of Hong Kong as a financial, trading, logistics and tourism centre. Given the importance of connectivity with the PRD for HKIA, the AA welcomes the decision by the Hong Kong SAR Government to locate the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to the east of HKIA. The AA is working closely with the Hong Kong SAR Government to ensure that the bridge will interface effectively with HKIA, offering hassle-free transfer of passenger and cargo traffic between the bridge and HKIA. The AA also continues to support studies being undertaken between the Hong Kong SAR Government and Shenzhen Municipal Government on the proposed high-speed rail link between HKIA, Shenzhen municipality and Shenzhen International Airport. Upon completion of these cross-boundary infrastructures, the competitiveness of HKIA as an aviation centre will be greatly enhanced.

Download the Annual Report 2008/09:
http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/media/publication/annual-rep-index.html

Visas, direct flights on agenda for Taiwan-H.K. forum, Hau says
26 June 2009
Kyodo News

HONG KONG, June 26 -- Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin said Friday a twin-city forum will be held between Taipei and Hong Kong to facilitate visa-free access for people of the two cities and direct flights between Songshan airport and Chek Lap Kok airport in Hong Kong, among other issues.

''We have reached consensus on the Songshan-Chek Lap Kok direct flight route,'' Hau told reporters when concluding the first of his two-day visit. ''Since we agreed to increase communications and hold more official visits between the two cities, we should solve not only the issue of direct flight, but also of visa-free access.''

Hau said Songshan has direct flights to Shanghai, Tokyo and soon Seoul, and he believes there is a good chance to link up with Hong Kong as well.

''When the (twin-city) forum is held, difficulties and problems arising from cooperation between the two cities can be solved. Setting up representative offices will also help business opportunities in future,'' he said.

No timetable was set for the forum.

Earlier in the day, Hau met with Chief Executive Donald Tsang and Hong Kong's home affairs minister, visited a sports ground and played ping-pong games with Hong Kong athletes who will be attending Taipei's Summer Deaflympics.

Hau said Tsang turned down the invitation to attend the sports event in September, saying he will be busy working on his policy address to be delivered in October, but he promised to send some other officials.

Tsang has said he plans to visit Taiwan ''shortly,'' before his term ends in 2012.

''If Mr. Tsang can visit Taiwan, I believe that will be a significant indication that mainland China and Hong Kong are friendly to Taiwan. This would encourage most of the mainland China officials to visit Taiwan,'' he said.

Gold and silver start for mercantile exchange
The Standard
Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange has decided on gold and silver futures as its debut products instead of oil futures as first planned because the market landscape has changed.

HKMEx also revealed a series of appointments, including former stock exchange director and founder of the Civic Exchange think-tank Christine Loh Kung- wai, as an independent non-executive director.

After studying the markets for a year, HKMEx expects to launch both gold and silver futures in the fourth quarter, chairman Barry Cheung Chun-yuen said. "Whether we will launch fuel oil futures later depends on the market situation," he added. HKMEx was still applying for a bourse operating license from the Securities and Futures Commission, Cheung said.

It also awaiting SFC licenses to trade futures in gold and silver.

Gold futures will trade in US dollar-denominated and kilobar units, Cheung said. Trading hours will be longer than those of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (0388) and physical delivery of the metals is possible. HKMEx has signed an agreement with the Airport Authority to use its gold warehouse for storage. The metal exchange said Christine Loh was one of seven newcomers to its 17-member board.

The others include economist Fang Gang, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the People's Bank of China; Dominic Ho Chiu-fai, former co-chairman of KPMG; Shenzhen Development Bank supervision board chairman Kong Dian and MTRC chairman Raymond Ch'ien Kuo-fung.

Cheung declined to name the other board members or the HKMEX shareholders' structure, describing the matters as sensitive information.

Another member joins the Hactl family – Cargolux Italia
Press Release

(16 June 2009, Hong Kong) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) is pleased to announce that Cargolux Italia S.p.A. (Cargolux Italia) has appointed Hactl as its one-stop-shop service provider in providing physical cargo handling, complementing with documentation handling and ramp handling services at the Hong Kong International Airport.

Cargolux Italia currently operates flight services between Hong Kong and Milan twice weekly. The carrier launched its inaugural flight to Hong Kong on 14 June 2009. Cargolux Italia has appointed Cargolux Airlines International S.A. (Cargolux) as the world-wide General Cargo Sales Agent (GSA), representing Cargolux Italia on all commercial enquiries and cargo operations.

Ms Lilian Chan, General Manager, Marketing and Customer Service of Hactl said, “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Cargolux Italia to join the Hactl family. Her GSA, Cargolux has a long history of partnership with Hactl, being the first customer of the company. We are truly thankful for their unfailing support as always. The long-term business partnership between Hactl and Cargolux will ensure we have a solid foundation for the added cooperation with Cargolux Italia, enabling it to grow from strength to strength in Hong Kong as well as in the region.”

Being the GSA for Cargolux Italia, Cargolux said, “We are happy to have Hactl, the world’s leading air cargo terminal, as our partner for the provision of air cargo terminal services. Hactl’s proven record of efficiency and reliability over the past 32 years ensures its professional cargo handling services. Cargolux Italia has full confidence on Hactl and we do look forward to further growing our presence in the Asia Pacific Region together with Hactl.”

TOLL HOLDINGS BUYS THREE ASIAN-BASED LOGISTICS BUSINESSES

SYDNEY, June 24 Asia Pulse - Toll Holdings Ltd (ASX:TOL) says the Toll Group has bought three Asia-based international express businesses to complement its air freight operations.

"Toll has acquired the Asian operations of Deltec in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia to complement its existing air freight operations in Australia and New Zealand," the company said in a statement.

The Deltec business has multiple product offerings including international express, local point to point courier and mail.

Toll has also acquired two additional small businesses in Hong Kong - Kwikmail and Skynet (Hong Kong).

1 May 2009
Vol 32#3 : Hong Kong Airport Authority launches relief package

http://www.hktdc.com/resources/MI/Index_Static_Type/st/2009/04/200054/1245287421277_cover_May_hr_200054.jpg

The Board of the Airport Authority (AA) announced on April 27, a relief package of HK$450 million to assist airlines and other operators whose business at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has been adversely affected by the global economic downturn. The relief package, comprises $200 million worth of reductions in charges and $250 million interest-free, deferred payments, starting April 2009.

Airlines operating at HKIA are being offered a 10% reduction in both landing and parking charges till the end of 2009, amounting to savings of about HK$200 million. Also, to alleviate cash flow issues during the recession, 50% of rental payments for airline lounges, office premises, counters and storage can be deferred for up to one year and repaid by interest-free installments from April 2010 onward. If all business partners apply to defer 50% of their rental payments, the total amount will reach approximately $250 million.

The majority of retailers and caterers at HKIA pay the AA a licence fee according to a mechanism that allows fee adjustments based on airport passenger volume. According to the mechanism, licensees pay less as passenger throughput declines. The average licence fee has dropped by about 4% over the last few months.

Stanley Hui Hon-chung, CEO of the Airport Authority, said that HKIA has been suffering from the flagging global economy. At HKIA, traffic volumes started declining in August 2008, with the first quarter of 2009 showing year-on-year decreases in passenger throughput, cargo volume and aircraft movements of 7.1%, 22.8% and 6.6%, respectively.

In response, the AA began implementing a series of cost control measures-including headcount freezes-in the last quarter of 2008. According to Hui, the AA will stay vigilant on costs as the economic slump continues. Hui said, "The operating environment facing the global aviation industry is expected to remain challenging for the rest of 2009. We intend to ride out the recession with our business partners by introducing relief measures that are reasonable, responsive and within our means.

"The reduction of both landing and parking fees will help airlines at HKIA reduce operating costs," explained Hui. "Meanwhile, the ability to defer rental payments will help our business partners deal with liquidity issues in a troubled operating environment. We hope the relief measures will help airlines better able to maintain their flight schedules at HKIA in support of our efforts to maintain HKIA as a regional and international aviation centre."

Hui added that the relief package was introduced after consulting with various airline industry representatives, and that the AA would continue to maintain dialogue and work side by side with its business partners.

In 2000, the Airport Authority reduced both landing and parking charges at HKIA by 15%. The reduction has remained effective since then.

Virgin Atlantic: To Reduce Winter Capacity
1 July 2009

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Virgin Atlantic Airways Wednesday said that up to 600 jobs were on the line as it plans to cut winter capacity by 7% compared to last year's flying schedule.

Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive, Virgin Atlantic, said: "The outlook for the industry is as bleak as ever and all airlines are having to shrink their businesses. The fittest will survive and be in a stronger position when the economy grows. We will look to minimize the number of compulsory redundancies and ensure we treat our staff as fairly as possible."

The airline has decided not to operate its daily service between London Heathrow and Chicago for the winter season 2009/10 and will be suspending one of its two daily services between London Heathrow and Hong Kong.

There will be additional frequency reductions on some other routes throughout this period.

A spokesman for Virgin Atlantic said job cuts would be across cabin crew, pilots, operational and administrative staff.

He said the company is doing everything it can to avoid compulsory redundancies, by offering job sharing and part-time work as some of the options offered to staff.

Virgin Atlantic will start consultation with unions in coming weeks.

http://www.hktdc.com/resources/MI/Index_Static_Type/st/2009/04/200054/1245287421277_cover_May_hr_200054.jpg

http://www.hktdc.com/resources/MI/Article/st/2009/06/276847/1244792899870_vol32_3_statAir_276847.jpg

HKIA Press Release:
HKIA Adds Eight Automated People Mover Cars to Link Two Passenger Terminals, New SkyPier (http://hongkongairport.com/eng/media/press-releases/pr_964.html)

Virgin Atlantic To Start Twice Daily London-Hong Kong Svc
10 June 2008
Edited Press Release

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. said on Tuesday that it's to increase its frequency between London Heathrow and Hong Kong from a daily flight to twice a day.

The extra services will lead to the creation of 100 new cabin crew roles, Virgin Atlantic said.


Virgin Atlantic Launches Second Daily Service To Hong Kong
28 October 2008
Dow Jones International News

Virgin Atlantic said today that it has launched a second daily long-haul service between London Heathrow and Hong Kong.

The new flights, which will be daily from 4 December this year, will complement the airline's existing daily programme to Hong Kong, which connects to Virgin Atlantic's flights to Sydney.

Virgin Atlantic first launched flights between London and Hong Kong in February 1994 and has since carried over 2.3m passengers on the route.

The new second daily service will double the airline's capacity between London and Hong Kong, offering passengers more choice and flexibility when travelling to the Far East and Australia.

The new flight will be operated on an Airbus A340-600. From October 28, flight VS238 will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and then operate daily from December 4. VS238 will depart London Heathrow Terminal 3 at 16.00, arriving in Hong Kong at 12.30pm the following afternoon.

Flight VS239 will operate between Hong Kong and London Heathrow on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from October 29, and then operate daily from December 5. VS239 will depart Hong Kong at 14.15, arriving at London Heathrow at 19.20 the same day.

Virgin Atlantic: To Reduce Winter Capacity
1 July 2009

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Virgin Atlantic Airways Wednesday said that up to 600 jobs were on the line as it plans to cut winter capacity by 7% compared to last year's flying schedule.

Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive, Virgin Atlantic, said: "The outlook for the industry is as bleak as ever and all airlines are having to shrink their businesses. The fittest will survive and be in a stronger position when the economy grows. We will look to minimize the number of compulsory redundancies and ensure we treat our staff as fairly as possible."

The airline has decided not to operate its daily service between London Heathrow and Chicago for the winter season 2009/10 and will be suspending one of its two daily services between London Heathrow and Hong Kong.

There will be additional frequency reductions on some other routes throughout this period.

A spokesman for Virgin Atlantic said job cuts would be across cabin crew, pilots, operational and administrative staff.

He said the company is doing everything it can to avoid compulsory redundancies, by offering job sharing and part-time work as some of the options offered to staff.

Virgin Atlantic will start consultation with unions in coming weeks.

hmm...

^^ Well.... the economy for summer 2008 and summer 2009 are two different worlds...

Shenzhen airport opens check-in options in HK
4 July 2009
South China Morning Post

http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/news/20090704/photo/0704_00407_018b1.jpg

Shenzhen airport opened a new advance check-in terminal at Shenzhen Bay checkpoint yesterday, along with a pre-check-in option for bus passengers from Mong Kok.

Passengers who depart from Mong Kok on buses operated by Trans-Island Chinalink will be able to send their personal and flight information to the check-in centre and reserve seats before the 75-minute journey to the airport.

They can collect their boarding pass at the checkpoint - which is at the Shenzhen end of the Western Corridor - without waiting and are no longer required to arrive at the airport an hour ahead of their flights.

Eleven airlines, including China Southern, China Eastern and Shenzhen Airlines, have joined the scheme. But there is no luggage service because of security concerns.

Nearly nine million passengers used the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint in the past six months, and airport authorities expected the new terminal to further boost passenger flows.

The service is also available at the Hong Kong-Macau ferry terminal in Sheung Wan and at the Airport Express Kowloon station. Shenzhen airport spokesman Ren Shili said it was planning more check-in centres at checkpoints such as Luohu and Futian, the Shenzhen side of Lo Wu, and Lok Ma Chau respectively.

Earlier this year, Shenzhen authorities announced they were studying a proposal to build an intercity rail link between Hong Kong and Shenzhen airports.

Air cargo volumes climb but rates still grounded
6 July 2009
SCMP

The cargo holds of aircraft plying the China-US route recently have been bulging with one of the must-haves of 2009 - Apple's iPhone 3G.

But while the pick-up in demand for air cargo appears to indicate the worst is over for the sector, a total recovery is still a long way off.

That rising demand for air cargo has not come with a commensurate recovery in freight rates has some industry watchers asking whether there has been a fundamental change in the industry. The main fear is that lucrative long-term contracts are being replaced by less profitable short-term contracts.

Most freight forwarders and airlines agree they have experienced the worst period of the slump. The drop in cargo tonnage continues to narrow, offering a glimpse of hope that buying confidence has started to revive across the globe.

"In terms of tonnage, cargo volume is up by 15 per cent from the trough in January and February," said a manager with a US cargo airline. But tonnage is set to fall 10 per cent year on year, he added.

Vivian Lo, the manager of cargo sales and marketing at Cathay Pacific, said because factories were tending to produce small quantities of goods, air shipments had become more competitive over seaborne trade.

Recently, cargo space on some routes were nearly full, partly because of massive shipments of Apple's new 3G phones from China to the United States, Australia and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.

The International Air Transport Association said the bottom in the air cargo market was reached in December but the stabilisation only reflected a topping out of the massive rise in business inventory. "Warehouses are full and until inventories fall to more comfortable levels, air shipments will not rebound substantially," it said.

Cathay has cut its cargo capacity by 11 per cent, parking five freighters and leasing one aircraft to its subsidiary Air Hong Kong. This followed reductions in capacity by other international cargo airlines.

However, rows of parked freighters have not been enough to restore the market's equilibrium, with cargo yields still under great pressure. Airlines are blaming the failure of rates to bounce back on changes in the length of contracts.

Only a few airlines have been able to lock in long-term contracts this year, forcing most to offer cutthroat short-term rates to fill up cargo space.

"Many freight forwarders are reluctant to enter into any long-term contracts this year," said the manager from the US-based cargo airline.

Freight rates have dropped 30 per cent year on year on European routes and are down 20 per cent on routes to the United States. Some airlines are even offering freight rates that cannot cover operating costs.

Even though a few airlines have been able to lock in volume with clients, flexible contracts are on the rise.

Another airline executive said that they have had to introduce some market-response components in contracts, allowing rates to be adjusted according to demand.

The so-called "hard block ratio," meaning committed shipments by freight forwarders to total contracted shipments, has fallen to 70 per cent from as much as 100 per cent in the past, the executive said.

That means freight forwarders increasingly need not pay for all the contracted cargo space if they cannot find enough goods to fill up the space.

"It is a vicious circle and the uncertainty will lead to panic and price wars among the airlines, draining their cash away," the executive said.

But there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. After the deep correction in the freight rates, some opportunistic shippers or freight forwarders have started to urge airlines to sign fixed-rate contracts for 12 months or 24 months at the current freight rates.

Tour costs to Asian cities cut by 30-40%
6 July 2009
The China Post

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Outbound traveling costs to some Asian destinations have continued tumbling as tourism authorities, airlines and hotels rolled out deeper discounts to lure Taiwan tourists who were hit by and global economic downturn and weary of the A(H1N1) virus outbreak.

The tourism authorities in Hong Kong and Macau have teamed up air carriers like Cathay Pacific Airways, Air Macau, and Taiwan's China Airlines (CAL) as well as travel agencies to offer price cuts as deep as 30 to 40 percent from last summer.

In addition to Hong Kong and Macau, CAL has joined hands with 25 tour operators to provide travel for one child without charge when accompanied by two adults to 13 destinations in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia.

Those to Hong Kong will receive three free tickets to Disneyland theme park plus discounts for room rates at selected hotels when there are two adults and one child traveling in a same group.

Singapore's government tourism agency and Singapore Airlines are cooperating tour operators to exempt tariff for one child if no extra bed is needed.

Three will also be free admissions for children to 10 tourist attractions in Singapore.

Tour operators said the costs for certain package tours to the neighboring cities are now even cheaper than domestic tours in Taiwan.

AirAsia CEO: Hope To See Carrier Merge With AirAsia X
7 July 2009
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

AirAsia Bhd. (5099.KU) Chief Executive Tony Fernandes said Tuesday he hopes to see the Malaysian low-cost carrier merge with its long-haul affiliate AirAsia X, but said the company hasn't yet made any final decision on a possible integration.

"Personally, my view is that AirAsia X and AirAsia should be unified," Fernandes said after a luncheon speech in Hong Kong.

"They are very much attached and if I controlled the company a hundred percent, I would buy it," he said.

Fernandes, who founded both low-cost carriers, said AirAsia X was launched as a separate airline in 2007 because the long-haul model was a speculative venture that had yet to prove itself.

But by now, "I think we have proven the model. It is very profitable, it is very cash positive. The model works," Fernandes said.

He said he believes AirAsia X will be earnings accretive for AirAsia if the two carriers merge, but said AirAsia's board will make the final decision on any possible mergers. He declined to give any timeframe.

Fernandes was in Hong Kong to mark the launch of AirAsia flights between Penang and the city.

Last week, Fernandes said that AirAsia X may launch an initial public offering within one to two years or merge with AirAsia.

AirAsia and Virgin Group each have a 20% stake in AirAsia X, which started operations in November 2007 and flies to Australia, mainland China and London from its Kuala Lumpur hub.

Fernandes said the airline's flights to London have been operating with a passenger load factor of 84%.

However, he said AirAsia X has no plans to launch new long-haul routes similar in length to its London service until new Airbus A350 aircraft join the fleet in the next four to five years.

新航線往返香港機場與廣州
4 July 2009
信報

由番禺南沙港客運有限公司經營、委託信德中旅船務管理有限公司旗下噴射飛航為代理的新航線，於6月26日起投入服務，跨境旅客可直接由香港國際機場海天客運碼頭乘客輪往來廣州（南沙）。 新航線始發期間，每天將提供兩個班次；分別是上午9:30由南沙港開出，以及下午3:30由機場開出，航程約 60分鐘。船票可於各噴射飛航售票點或登入www.turbojetbooking.com 預訂及購買。為吸引旅客體驗新航線的便捷，於推廣期內購買船票，可享票價優惠，詳情可瀏覽噴射飛航網頁www.turbojet.com.hk 或致電客戶服務熱線 （852） 2859 3333查詢。

DHL introduces AeroLogic cargo airline
9 July 2009
BusinessWorld

DHL, the world's leading express company, recently announced the start of operations of AeroLogic.

AeroLogic is the newest cargo airline that will enhance DHL's shipping services between Europe and Asia, operating with environment-friendly B777F freighters.

A joint venture of DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo, AeroLogic will serve new air routes between Europe and Asia, flying cargo for customers of its parent companies.

With the delivery of its first Boeing 777F aircraft and receipt of the Air Operator Certificate from the German Aviation Authority, AeroLogic will initially serve the express routes Leipzig-Bahrain-Singapore-Delhi-Leipzig on weekdays and the cargo routes Leipzig-Tashkent-Hong Kong-Tashkent- Leipzig on weekends.

One of the highlights of AeroLogic is the set of brand-new B777F freighters that will deliver DHL shipments to and from Europe.

Due to its advanced fuel-saving and environment-friendly engine and wing technology, the B777F is the most modern wide-body long-range freighter today.

It has a maximum payload capacity of 103 tons and can fly distances of over 9000 kilometers, which enables nonstop, long-haul flights from AeroLogic's home base in Leipzig, Germany, to key Asian growth markets, thereby reducing the running time of shipments.

"AeroLogic reinforces our role as trade facilitators with the enhancement of air transport shipping services between Europe and Asia. AeroLogic also solidifies DHL's position in caring for the environment with the use of low emission B777F freighters. We are proud to be a pioneer of responsible express delivery," said Ahmad Mohamad, DHL country manager for the Philippines.

AeroLogic will operate with eight leased brand-new B777F freighters. The first commercial flight of AeroLogic recently took off. By 2010, the airline will gradually expand the network to offer new direct connections to most of Asia's major metropolitan areas.

Applause as superjumbo makes maiden flight from Hong Kong
10 July 2009
SCMP

Incessant camera flashes lit up the cabin of the world's largest passenger aircraft as excited travellers posed for photos on the Airbus A380 inaugural flight from Hong Kong to Singapore yesterday.

The Singapore Airlines aircraft had earlier been met with a round of applause from waiting passengers and ground crew as it touched down at Hong Kong International Airport at around 1.30pm.

David Cheung, an aircraft maintenance mechanic, said he took leave so he could make the flight. Mr Cheung was travelling together with 10 other members of the Hong Kong Aviation Discussion Board, a group of aircraft enthusiasts.

"I travelled in economy class. The space was more or less the same as other aircraft, but the A380 was considerably more smooth and quiet," he said,

However, business class passengers looking to connect to the internet were disappointed yesterday as the service was not operational. An airline spokesman explained the vendor for the services had gone out of business and an alternative was being sought.

Huang Chen Eng, executive vice-president of Singapore Airlines, said the fact that Hong Kong was chosen to be the second Asian destination after Tokyo to be served by the new aircraft was another milestone in the firm's relationship with the city.

"We began flying to Hong Kong with a twice-weekly DC4 skymaster that took nine and a half hours to make the journey and carried 55 passengers," he said. "Today, our 471-seat A380 arrives in less than half that journey time."

A spokesman for the airline said it had invested US$360 million on a fleet of 19 A380 aircraft. Nine had been delivered.

Airport Authority chief executive Stanley Hui Hon-chung said HK$100 million had been spent on improvements to receive the new Airbus. However, the inaugural flight experienced a minor delay due to difficulties in locking one of the connecting bridges onto the aircraft door.

Airbus carried out two test flights in Hong Kong in 2006 and 2007 and a low flying demonstration over Victoria Harbour two years ago.

$238直飛檳城
10 July 2009
星島日報

馬來西亞檳城向以懷舊味道見稱，自從去年成為世界文化遺產後，更廣受遊人歡迎，現在亞洲航空（Air Asia）更新推出香港至檳城航綫，逢星期一、三、五、日直飛檳城，讓到當地遊玩的朋友更見方便。為慶祝這新航綫，亞洲航空特別推出全包票價優惠，由香港直飛檳城，單程機票僅由238港元起，有興趣的朋友，可由現在至7月12日在亞洲航空網頁或經手機登入mobile.airasia.com訂購，機票適用於7月31日至明年4月30日出發。

Hong Kong looks at Hongqiao airport
3 July 2009
Shanghai Daily

Hong Kong will strengthen its ties with Shanghai, including helping improve the management of the Hongqiao International Airport, said Henry Tang, Hong Kong's chief secretary for administration, yesterday in Shanghai.

"I support cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong that could make use of each side's experiences," Tang told Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng yesterday in Shanghai.

"We plan to take a two-prong approach with the Hongqiao Airport."

Tang said one approach would be similar to the consultancy work Hong Kong did with Beijing Capital International Airport during the Olympics last year. The other possibility is to set up a joint venture to manage the Hongqiao Airport. Tang didn't elaborate on more details.

Shanghai has two airports: Hongqiao, which mainly serves domestic routes; and Pudong International Airport, mostly international. Hongqiao now has some international flights, with services to Tokyo and Seoul.

Hongqiao Airport has won state approval for a 15.3 billion yuan (US$2.24 billion) project to run a second runway, another cargo zone and a new terminal covering 364,000 square meters.

The extension work is scheduled to be finished before World Expo 2010 starts on May 1. The upgrade is expected to help double passenger volume to 40 million annually by 2015.

Hong Kong June air cargo throughput falls 14.4 pct


HONG KONG, July 10 (Reuters) - Air cargo throughput via Hong Kong fell 14.4 percent in June, the smallest monthly decline since October but still dampened by weak global demand, particularly in Europe and the United States, data from Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd showed on Friday.

Year-on-year change in air cargo via Hong Kong:


Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct
-14.4 -18.6 -22.5 -21.1 -22.0 -30.9 -29.7 -19.0 -9.8

"Whilst the first half of 2009 has in general been difficult, it is delightful to observe the relatively stabilised tonnage performance over the past few months," Hactl said in a statement.

Hong Kong is a re-export centre for trade between Asia and the rest of the world. China on Friday announced that its exports fell 21.4 percent in June from a year earlier, the smallest decline since March, and rose 7.5 percent from May.

Air cargo volumes through Hong Kong in June totalled 187,955 tonnes.

Breakdown of air cargo handled by Hactl in June:


June 2009 Jan-Jun 2009
Tonnage Yr/Yr Tonnage Yr/Yr
(tonnes) growth (pct) (tonnes) growth (pct)
Export 96,792 -18.2 514,179 -25.9
Import 51,137 -11.0 270,482 -20.0
Transshipment 40,026 -8.4 219,097 -11.1
-----------------------------------------------------
Total 187,955 -14.4 1,003,758 -21.5

Speakers line up for Asian Aerospace's 09 Congress Programme
9 July 2009
M2 Presswire

Asian Aerospace 09 is bringing many value-added benefits for delegates this year, including a three-day Congress Programme, which will be attended by leading figures from China's expanding aviation industry, including senior executives from COMAC, CAAC and AVIC.

The opening day of the Hong Kong gathering on 8 September will focus on future trends for the aerospace and air transport industries. Leaders from China aviation industry will discuss China's current and future aerospace and aviation strategies and the outlook for aviation technology and manufacturing. Discussions will also focus on procurement requirements and opportunities for East-West partnerships. The afternoon session will concentrate on evolving airline models in Asia Pacific, with Andrew Herdman, Director General of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines addressing the impact the global economic downturn is having on the sector.

Keynote speaker Tony Tyler, Chief Executive of Cathay Pacific, which is one of the principal sponsors of Asian Aerospace, will discuss how Cathay Pacific is evolving its business strategies in light of the current economy. He will also consider future constraints and how the airline is preparing for the resumption of growth.

Laurent Rouaud, Senior Vice President of Market and Product Strategy for Airbus will look at aviation market performance, concentrating on capacity and growth forecasts, air transport profitability indicators and trends.

Senior airline industry leaders from full-service carriers, hybrid carriers and the low-cost fraternity will close the first day with a discussion on how air transport business models are evolving across Asia Pacific and provide insights on strategies for future growth.

The second day will concentrate on engine technologies, including next generation engine technologies and the impact on the industry of initiatives to reduce fuel burn, carbon emissions and noise. The morning session will continue with a look at cutting-edge technologies in engine propulsion and how to achieve optimal performance through fan blade design. There will also be a session on the commercial viability of alternative fuels.

Day two will close with a panel discussion and audience Q&A on East-West cooperation on engine technologies entitled: 'Partners today, rivals tomorrow?'

Day three will concentrate on the outlook for air transport infrastructure. Norman Lo, Director General, Civil Aviation Department, Hong Kong, will discuss airspace management encompassing Pacific regional and international perspectives on how to evolve the regulatory framework surrounding airspace management to address the demands of future growth.

MRO market trends and how the global economic recession and downturn in airline capacity is impacting on MRO suppliers across the Asia Pacific region will be discussed. The outlook for MRO in India will also be debated, together with the challenges and opportunities in providing independent third party maintenance.

Hactl announces tonnage throughput for the first half of 2009
Press Release

(10 July 2009, Hong Kong) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) today released its tonnage figures for June, the second quarter and the first half of 2009.

A total of 187,955 tonnes were handled in June, down 14.4% year-on-year. Tonnage throughput for the second quarter and for the first half of the year was 540,744 tonnes and 1,003,758 tonnes, representing a year-on-year decrease of 18.5% and 21.5% respectively.

Import volume for June registered an 11.0% decline on a year-on-year basis to 51,137 tonnes. Aggregate import volume for the second quarter was 147,523 tonnes, down 15.5%. Cumulative import tonnage for the first half of the year was 270,482 tonnes, down 20.0% against the same period last year. Market outlook for western countries continues to be gloomy: import volume from Europe and the USA for the first half of the year decreased 22.0% and 18.1% against the same period last year.

Export volume was 96,792 tonnes for June and 277,413 tonnes for the second quarter, representing a drop of 18.2% and 23.7% year-on-year for the respective periods. Cumulative export tonnage for the first half of the year was 514,179 tonnes, down 25.9% against the same period last year. Export volume to Europe and the USA for the first half of year still recorded a sharp fall of 29.1% and 25.8% year-on-year respectively, while export cargoes to Middle East and Africa registered an encouraging growth of 11.0% and 15.3% year-on-year respectively.

The transshipment volume was 40,026 tonnes for June, and 115,808 tonnes for the second quarter, representing a year-on-year decrease of 8.4% and 8.0% for the respective periods. Total transshipment volume for the first six months was 219,097 tonnes, down 11.1% year-on-year.

Ms Lilian Chan, General Manager, Marketing and Customer Service said, “Cargo throughput is generally a good indicator of the economy. Whilst the first half of 2009 has in general been difficult, it is delightful to observe the relatively stabilised tonnage performance over the past few months. Looking beyond the economic crisis, it is more important for us to maintain a closer touch with our customers and support our business partners in an even more flexible and efficient manner, working together to reinforce Hong Kong’s role as the region’s preferred air cargo hub.”

AIRLINE GARUDA INDONESIA NEEDS 1 YEAR TO PREPARE FOR EURO MKT

DENPASAR, Bali, July 10 Asia pulse - PT Garuda Indonesia will need nine to 12 months to prepare for the European market following the lifting of the European Union`s ban on Indonesian airline flights into the region.

"Our fleet is now being prepared and new aircraft will be added to it every year," the airline company`s senior general manager for the Eastern region, Suranto, said after opening Garuda Indonesia Frequent Flyers (GFF) Golf Tournament 2009 in Tabanan, Bali, on Friday.

He said Europe was an extraordinary market to tap. Garuda meanwhile plans to start flying to Amsterdam in the middle of 2010.

"We have longed for the lifting of the ban. We now have to prepare the time frame for entering there," he said.

The general manager of the Garuda Indonesia office, Bagus Y Siregar, said Garuda as a national air carrier would continue to expand its market.

"This year we are still growing. A number of domestic routes have been reopened as well as international ones such as Hong Kong," he said.

Garuda, he said, had loyal and strong markets. To maintain the loyalty of its customers Garuda, would give its best service to them.

"The GFF Golf Tournament is one of the forms of appreciation we give to our customers. We always want to be the best for our customers," he said.

He said until now the number of GFF members had already reached 10,608. The best player in the tournament would be sent to international tournaments. The tournament offers Rp400 million (US$39,200) in cash prize for players who make a hole-in-one.

"Many Garuda passengers holding GFF cards fly twice to three times a week," he said.

New airport ferry - takes city reach deep into delta

Timothy Chui

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Chek Lap Kok has extended its ferry service to all major Pearl River Delta ports with the launch of the direct Hong Kong International Airport-Nansha link yesterday.

The new link brings the number of delta ports served to seven and weekly ferry trips via the airport's Skypier to more than 500.

The ferry service has carried more than 8.5 million passengers since its 2003 inauguration.

"The new ferry service provides another commuting choice for people living or working in the Pearl River Delta, allowing them to reach HKIA easily for their connecting flights to different parts of the world," Airport Authority chief executive Stanley Hui Hon-chung said.

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It will help boost the economic development of Guangzhou's port of Nansha as well as the delta, he added.

The ferry network also serves Shenzhen's Shekou and Fuyong, Dongguan's Humen and Zhongshan, and Zhuhai's Juizhou, along with Macau.

The Hong Kong terminal is being upgraded to eight times its present size, work on which will be completed by the end of this year.

The daily 60-minute trip leaving Nansha at 9.30am and Chek Lap Kok at 3.30pm will be operated in partnership with Panyu Nansha Passenger Terminal Transport and TurboJET.

Tickets will cost HK$304 for regular class and HK$402 for superclass.

Luggage check-in services will be offered for passengers flying with Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, China Airlines, EVA Airways, Japan Airlines and Mandarin Airlines.

"The new ferry service makes Hong Kong International Airport more accessible to me. It's much cheaper flying from Hong Kong than from Guangzhou [on international routes]," a passenger who took the first ferry said yesterday.

Others said the trip is much more convenient than having to transfer by railway.

The government is also considering an express rail link from Chek Lap Kok to Shenzhen Airport.

However, an initial Mass Transit Railway Corporation study found an expected 7,000 daily commuters may not be enough to keep the line financially viable.

Attending the launch yesterday was chief executive Ian Fok Chun-wan of the Fok Ying Tung Group, parent company of Panyu Nansha Passenger Terminal Transport.

He said the route will also tie in with his family-owned Fok Ying Tung Foundation's Nansha new coastal city development project, involving a "model international community with green, quality living."

"The Skypier arrangement is an innovative and unique move to consolidate the airport's regional catchment area while catering to its international passengers from 110 destinations," said Law Cheung-kwok, associate director at the Chinese University's Aviation Policy Research Center.

He said the system would help lift and maintain passenger traffic at the airport.

Source: http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=84827&sid=24564864&con_type=1&d_str=20090715&fc=4

Opinion : New shopping mall at airport makes no sense
16 July 2009
South China Morning Post

I cannot accept the rationale of Douglas Louden ("Airport must pay its way", July 3), replying to my letter ("Proposed airport mall will suffer same fate as Terminal Two", June 16). Mr Louden wants to see another mall at Chek Lap Kok.

This makes no sense given the fiasco of the Terminal Two mall. As your correspondent points out, the Airport Authority has no expertise running shops.

I repeat what I said in my letter: that an inquiry should be set up to look into the authority's largesse. It should ask about the billions spent to build Terminal Two, which has proved to be a disaster. Its cinema and golf course enjoy little patronage.

I do not understand why authority chiefs would think tourists want to come to Hong Kong so they can play golf or visit malls at the airport.

The finances of the authority should be subject to a public examination so it can be decided if the Civil Aviation Department should revert to its role as manager of the airport. After all, the department has done a good job at keeping planes moving.

Outlets elsewhere are near airports because they are out of town and rents are cheaper. If Hong Kong people want access to cheaper shopping they will go to Shenzhen.

The Airport Authority is unfairly competing with developers and other businesses by offering land it did not have to pay for.

It is operating shops and hotels even though it has no experience in these areas.

Also, why do we need a third runway when the number of flights is dropping and will continue to drop given the rise in flights between Taiwan and mainland cities?

Although it has squandered money, it has a monopoly over airport charges and so continues to make a profit, despite the financial tsunami.

The government should ensure that the airport tempts tourists here by offering lower and realistic charges, and that staff concentrate on running the airport business and not use taxpayers' money to build empires and create perks for themselves.

In other parts of the world, public protests over the authority would have been heeded.

Sadly in Hong Kong, under the present chief executive, this has not happened.

M. Lai, Mong Kok

Customs seizes 4 kg of "ice" at airport
Friday, July 17, 2009
Government Press Release

http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/200907/17/P200907170268_photo_1005641.JPG

Hong Kong Customs foiled an attempted cross-boundary drug trafficking activity yesterday (July 16) and arrested a 52-year-old Filipino man after seizing four kilogrammes of methamphetamine ("ice"), with an estimated street value of $3 million.

Customs officers last night mounted an anti-narcotics operation at the Hong Kong International Airport. Shortly before 9.30pm, the officers intercepted the Filipino at the Departure Hall as he was about to leave for Manila. A false compartment, specially made with a wooden plank and fastened with eight screws, was found in his check-in suitcase. Inside the false compartment were 13 packets of "ice", weighing approximately four kilogrammes.

The arrested man will be charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (July 18).

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment and a fine of $5 million.

Hong Kong Customs will spare no effort to support the anti-narcotics work personally supervised by the Chief Executive and carry out multi-pronged measures to tackle youth drugs abuse and drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Hong Kong Customs will continue to work closely with overseas and Mainland counterparts for intelligence exchange to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Hong Kong's passenger traffic drops 18.9 percent in June
20 July 2009
Agence France Presse

The number of passengers passing through Hong Kong's airport dropped 18.9 percent year-on-year in June, authorities said Monday, as demand for travel continued to shrink amid the economic downturn.

The Hong Kong International Airport handled 3.3 million passengers in June, due to a weak economy and the fear sparked by a global outbreak of swine flu, the Airport Authority Hong Kong said in a statement.

Cargo traffic at the airport, one of Asia's key transport hubs, was down 13.4 percent to 270,000 tonnes in June, compared with the same month last year.

The drop in cargo volume was mainly caused by a decline in exports to the continually weak consumption markets in North America and Europe, the statement said.

Stanley Hui, chief executive officer of the authority, noted that the air cargo market had shown signs of stabilising.

He said June's year-on-year drop was noticeably smaller than the 20 percent declines in recent months, as well as the 30 percent reductions recorded for the months between late 2008 and early 2009.

Hui said he expected that both passenger and cargo traffic for the months ahead would see smaller drops as people's concern over swine flu receded and the global economy began to stabilise.

Sleepy? Poll rates best, and worst, airports for shut-eye

SINGAPORE, July 20 (Reuters) - On a shoe-string, stuck or just need some shut-eye? Avoid Paris' Charles de Gaulle at all costs, but embrace Singapore's Changi, according to a survey that rated the world's 10 worst, and best, airports to sleep in.

Dirty floors, filthy, overcrowded bathrooms, bird poo and biting insects were among the biggest complaints of the 6,200 travellers who took part in the poll, by travel website The Guide to Sleeping in Airports.

Charles de Gaulle was voted the absolute worst, followed by Sheremetyevo in Moscow, which one traveller called "hell on earth". In the third and fourth spots were New York's JFK and Los Angeles' LAX, while India's Delhi airport rounded off the top five worst airports.

On the flip side, Singapore's Changi was rated the cleanest and most comfortable airport to sleep in, followed by Seoul's Incheon and Amsterdam's Schiphol.

Oslo's Gardermoen and Hong Kong airport rounded off the top five best airports, which the site said travellers loved for the amenities, friendly staff and comfortable seating.

"Sleeping in airports is no longer just for the young budget traveller looking to save a few bucks," said the website, which was founded by Canadian former travel agent and expert budget traveller Donna McSherry in 1996.

"People of all ages and vocations can now be seen stretched out on airport floors all around the world, whether they are there because of a long transit, flight delay or voluntarily to save money."

For a full list, pls click on www.sleepinginairports.net/

Customs intercepts HK$23m ketamine haul
22 July 2009
South China Morning Post

Customs officials at the airport cargo terminal have made their second-biggest seizure of the drug ketamine, with a street value of HK$23 million. A Hong Kong man was arrested.

The 196kg seizure was nearly 41/2 times that of the 44kg that law enforcers found in the first five months of the year.

The drug was in 196 bags, each weighing 1kg, placed in three cartons that arrived from India on July 11. The three boxes also contained five bags of sugar and six bags of rice.

Matthew Wong Hung-san, head of customs' air cargo (import) division, said: "The consignment was declared as bags. It is not common for bags to be delivered to Hong Kong from India by air cargo."

He said it was suspicious because the goods came from India, which is a source country for ketamine. Another factor that alerted officials was that the address of the receiver - a trading company in Tai Kok Tsui - was incomplete, Mr Wong said.

The consignment was selected for inspection at about 3am on July 14 when it was picked up by a forwarder. It was scheduled to be loaded on to a Taiwan-bound flight the same day. The cartons were found packed with the bags of ketamine, sugar and rice when opened for inspection at the airport's cargo terminal.

Investigators believe the sugar could have been for mixing with the ketamine to increase the quantity.

After a week-long investigation, officers arrested a 31-year-old employee of the trading company at his home in Kwun Tong on Monday. He has been released on bail and no charges have been laid.

Tam Wai-lun, head of customs' airport command, said another air-cargo consignment, which arrived from India in November, was picked up at 3am at the airport and officers found it contained 307kg of ketamine and 10kg of methamphetamine.

"It's possible that criminals believe our officers are tired and dozing off in the small hours of mornings. They may think our inspection will be lax at this period," he said.

He added that drug smugglers might also try to take advantage of Hong Kong's reputation for not being a source of drugs to smuggle the ketamine from India to Taiwan.

So far this year, customs officers at the airport have seized 330kg of illegal drugs worth about HK$50 million, compared with 470kg worth HK$100 million in the whole of last year.

Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen dismissed claims that the government had asked Shenzhen to lengthen the detention of Hongkongers caught taking drugs there. He urged people not to take drugs.

"Whether you do it in Hong Kong or on the mainland, this will hurt not only yourself but your family and friends," Mr Tang said.

On Monday, some Hongkongers freed from a Shenzhen detention centre said officials had told them Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen had asked for their five-day detention to be lengthened to 15 days.

Speaking in Hong Kong, Shenzhen Deputy Mayor Zhuo Qinrui said he had no idea whether the Hong Kong government had asked for an extension.

Aviation Market Shows Sign of Stabilisation
Press Release
Supplements previously-posted article with more details.

(HONG KONG, 20 July 2009) ─ June passenger volume and cargo traffic at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) declined by 18.9% and 13.4% when compared to the same month in 2008, to 3.3 million and 270,000 tonnes, respectively. Air traffic movements also decreased by 13.3% to 21,505.

The declines in passenger volume and aircraft movements were mainly attributable to the continually weak global economy and reduction in flights by airlines to reflect lower demand. Demand for travel was further dampened by the global fear sparked by Influenza A (H1N1). As a result, travel by Hong Kong residents and visitors dropped by 12% and , visitors by 25% and transfer passenger traffic by 17% year-on-year respectively. On the cargo side, exports declined 17% over the same month last year, mainly due to the continually weak consumption markets in North America and Europe.

For the first half of 2009, HKIA handled a total of 22.4 million passengers, 1.5 million tonnes of air cargo and 138,290 aircraft movements, representing drops of 8.2%, 19.8% and 7.7% respectively when compared to first half of 2008.

Comparing the year-on-year changes of air traffic performance of the first and second quarters of 2009 showed a further decline in passenger traffic while cargo throughput showed signs of stabilisation. When compared to the first three months of 2009, April to June in 2009 saw an additional decline of 2.1 percentage points in passenger throughput whereas cargo volume showed an improvement of 5.9 percentage points *.

Commenting on the first-half traffic performance, Stanley Hui Hon-Chung, Chief Executive Officer of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, said, "The quarter-for-quarter comparison reflects that while passenger traffic experienced a further drop, brought about most likely by the outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1), which we hope is a one-off phenomenon, the airfreight market has shown signs of stabilising. June's year-on-year 13.4% drop in cargo throughput was noticeably smaller than the 20% declines recorded in recent months, which wereas smaller still than the 30% reductions recorded in end-2008/ early 2009."

Mr Hui added that as people's concern over Influenza A (H1N1) recedes and the global economy starts to stabilisestabilise and eventually recovers, he expects passenger traffic for the months ahead to see smaller reductions while cargo volume will also gradually recover.

For the 12 months ended 30 June 2009, 46.6 million passengers, 3.3 million tonnes of cargo and 289,630 air traffic movements passed through HKIA, representing year-on-year decreases of 5.8%, 15.3% and 4.1%, respectively.

JuneYao Airlines to Open Skyways to Hong Kong, Macao in 09

SHANGHAI, July 24, SinoCast -- JuneYao Airlines Co., Ltd. will hopefully be greenlighted by the Chinese regulators to open routes to Hong Kong and Macao before the end of 2009, according to Wang Junjin, chairman of the Shanghai-based private air carrier.

The company also plans to commence flights to Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and other regions later, Mr. Wang said.

Making sail in September 2006, JuneYao Airlines is now running more than 30 domestic skyways with Shanghai centering. It has bought an Airbus A320 airliner for over USD 40 million and hired ten by far, and is set to purchase three new aircrafts in the second half of 2009.

Last year, the airways achieved a profit of CNY 11.5 million, according to Mr. Wang, who estimated its company's profit to exceed 50 million in 2009.

In addition, the CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) East China Regional Administration forecasted that Shanghai Pudong Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao Airport would handle 770,000 flights and 5 million tons of cargo, and serve 84 million passengers during the World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

加航出招 國泰以靜制動
25 July 2009
星島日報

據加拿大《星島日報》報道，加航在暑期旺季會推出優惠機會，由八月中至九月初期間，加拿大往香港來回機票只需六百七十加元，另外往上海、北京、東京等航班亦有優惠價。

對於加航進取的促銷策略，國泰和中航都反應平靜，強調暫時不會推出類似計畫，國泰航空加西地區銷售部經理范登胡文話，國泰今年都有優惠機票，雖然折扣稍細，但不擔心會流失熟客。中航營業部總經理何志剛亦回應，要看市場需求如何才作決定。

Turbulence on radar as airlines cut agents' fees
27 July 2009
SCMP

The Hong Kong travel industry is bracing for a shake-up as travel agencies resist moves by airlines to cut commission on ticket sales in the face of stiff competition from online services.

Travel agents in the city are entitled to a commission of 5 to 7 per cent of the fare on every ticket they sell on behalf of the airlines. But, elsewhere, airlines stopped paying commissions in 2002, pushing many travel agencies out of business and forcing the survivors to charge passengers service fees.

"If I were younger, I would find another job rather than be a travel agent," said Susan, who has worked at a Hong Kong travel agency for 30 years. "I can see that lower or zero commissions is an inevitable trend."

The popularity of Web-based ticketing platforms, enabling passengers to book and pay for flights directly online, has given airlines greater bargaining power with travel agencies.

Zero commissions have been the norm in the United States and Europe for nearly 10 years, but carriers have encountered huge obstacles in adopting the model in Hong Kong.

Air France-KLM, which tried to reduce the commission fees gradually to zero in the city, triggered a street protest by hundreds of travel agents last month. Emirates Airlines, which attempted to cut the commission to 5 per cent from 7 per cent in June last year - the first major carrier to attempt to lower the fee - was boycotted by travel agents in the city for two weeks.

Nevertheless, the attempts set an example for others to follow. Virgin Atlantic Airways will adopt a 5 per cent commission from August 1, following other carriers who lowered their commissions to 5 per cent from 7 per cent during the past year.

Only a handful of airlines, including Cathay Pacific Airways, Singapore Airlines and United Airlines, continue to offer 7 per cent commissions.

"Airlines' distribution model and customer behaviour are evolving over time ... new business models are coming up such as the introduction of fee-based schemes," said Carolyn Leung, a spokeswoman for Cathay Pacific. "There is a need to constantly review the components of the distribution model based on these changes."

Analysts said Hong Kong's flag carrier did not want to take a proactive role in changing the commission fee structure because the political risks were too high. "The benefit from slashing the commission would be offset by the negative impact on its image by doing so," said Kelvin Lau, a transport analyst at Daiwa Institute of Research.

"Legislative Council members, especially those representing the interests of the tourist industry, would oppose the cut in commission fees as it will affect the income of travel agencies," a market watcher said.

In Hong Kong, there are about 1,500 travel agencies employing more than 40,000 agents. "If the commission fee is reduced to zero, many of them will suffer as over 80 per cent provide purely ticketing services," said Paul Tse Wai-Chun, the legislator representing the tourism industry.

As Hong Kong people's travel patterns were often unplanned, travel agencies could provide value-added services, he added.

When the commissions were scrapped in the US in March 2002, the number of travel agents shrank to fewer than 21,000 in 2005, compared with more than 30,000 in 2000, according to a survey by Amadeus, a technology provider for travel agencies.

Still, lower commissions could be good for consumers.

"After the 2 per cent cut in commission fees, the room for lowering airfares becomes larger," said Angelina Wong, public relations and marketing manager for Virgin. However, airfares were subject to market forces and a lower commission may not mean a cut in airfares, she said.

For the airlines, slashing commissions is a logical cost-cutting strategy. It is all the more compelling at a time when the economic downturn has forced carriers to cut expenses by any means, including grounding aircraft, making staff redundant and imposing pay cuts and unpaid leave.

Commissions to agents are one of the major costs of airlines, after oil prices, airport charges, salaries and maintenance fees.

The rationale for cutting commissions, however, is more than cost-cutting. "Passengers could have more choice as they can select the agent who charges them less," said an industry veteran. "There would be differentiation in the service fee charged by different agents, unlike the fixed commission."

The customer could select a relatively modest travel agency with a lower service charge if they required simple service, while choosing a more high-end travel agency for handling more complicated transactions.

HAECO (Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited) Press Releases:

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES COMPLETED INSTALLATION OF NEW ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM ON ITS ENTIRE B777 FLEET (http://www.haeco.com/company_update/CO%20HAECO%20AVOD%20Press%20Release%20040609_Eng.pdf)

Appointment of Mr. Kenny Tang as HAECO's Director, Corporate Development, effect from 7th September, 2009 (http://www.haeco.com/company_update/Senior%20Appointment_DCD%20(E).pdf)

^^ ahha...... it's a surprise to hear Continental has its AVOD installed overseas, half way around the globe, in HK.
Alright, it's time to find out how much tax break it has got away from the US government by doing the installation overseas.

I see some weird visitors at the hangar now and then. Before Delta livery took over NW, I saw a Delta jet parked in the hangar at HKG.

Outstanding base operator
HKIA News Issue 18


Showing top quality business service, the Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre came second among top 40 fixed base operators (FBO) in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, in the recent Aviation International News 2009 FBO Survey.

A FBO provides services and facilities for business aircraft and charter flights. The survey asked readers to rate FBOs worldwide on four service categories: line service, passenger amenities, pilot amenities and services, and facilities. Over 2,600 completed surveys were received.


xxx.ainonline.com/fileadmin/template/main/pdfs/2009_International_FBO_Survey.pdf

xxx.ainonline.com/fileadmin/template/main/pdfs/2009_International_FBO_Report.pdf

:applause:

本港機場全球排名第五
頭條日報
2009-07-30


民航處長羅崇文表示，本港的民航系統，在國際民航組織全球安全監督審計計劃，得分近95%，在已完成審計的129個國家或地區中排名第5，亞洲區排第2。

羅崇文表示，本港在航空法規及安全監督方面，取得滿分，民航處會根據組織的建議，改善專業及技術人員的培訓。他預計新的航空交通管制中心，會在2013年第三季獨立運作，屆時機場每小時處理的航班數目會由現時57班，逐步增加至68班。

羅崇文又指，正檢討調整燃油附加費的機制，將檢討期由現時的兩個月，縮減至一個月，更緊貼國際油價起跌，對航空公司及乘客更為公平，希望在今年內有結果。

China's Spring Airlines to launch international flights
30 July 2009
Agence France Presse

Private Chinese carrier Spring Airlines has obtained approval to operate international flights and aims to list in Shanghai next year, state media reports said Thursday.

The carrier is set to launch its first trips to neighbouring countries and regions, including Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea and Russia, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing chairman Wang Zhenghua.

"We just got the approval. It still takes time to design specific routes, flight schedules and pricing," Wang was quoted as saying.

Shanghai-based Spring Airlines is the second private Chinese carrier to obtain permission to fly overseas.

East Star Airlines, based in Wuhan city in central China, won similar approval two years ago.

But it filed for bankruptcy protection last month after aviation authorities grounded it in March due to prolonged financial problems.

Spring Airlines plans to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in the second half of next year, the official China Daily said.

The carrier aims to expand its fleet by 2015 to 100 planes from the current 13, mostly with Airbus A320s, the newspaper quoted Wang as saying.

Spring Airlines posted a net profit of 41.2 million yuan (6 million dollars) in the first half of the year, almost double its full-year earnings of 21 million yuan for 2008, according to the report.

AirAsia flies Penang-HK
1 August 2009
New Straits Times

GEORGE TOWN: AirAsia celebrated its inaugural flight from Penang to Hong Kong yesterday. The budget airline will fly four times a week to Hong Kong, its sixth international service from Penang after Singapore, Bangkok, Medan, Jakarta and Macau. Tickets for the Hong Kong sector went on sale from July 2 and the inaugural flight had an 80 per cent average load both ways.

nice planes

New Linked Canopies Offer Extra Protection to Cargoes
HACTL Press Release

(22 July 2009, Hong Kong) Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) commemorated the completion of the construction of three external canopies on 21 July 2009. This forms an integral part of the Company’s ongoing drive to enhance operational and service excellence.

Situated at the northeastern corner of SuperTerminal 1, these three linked canopies cover 2,192 square metres in total and can simultaneously accommodate air cargoes for two 747-freighters under shelter, with enhanced protection against adverse weather. The total investment of the project is approximately HK$21 million, underlining Hactl’s dedication in providing premier cargo handling services to all airline customers and associated business partners across the supply chain.

“2009 has been a challenging year for the air cargo community and we have not been immune to those headwinds. However, we are determined that the current difficult economic environment should not prevent us from exploring creative ways towards increasingly better service to our customers for the long-term”, said Mr Kenneth Bell, Hactl’s Director of Service Delivery. “Air cargo tends to be more high-value by nature and these newly-developed airside canopies will not just bring improved weather protection for cargoes handled by Hactl, but also create associated cargo handling benefits to our customers and business partners.”

Hong Kong July air cargo throughput falls 8.4 pct yr/yr

HONG KONG, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Air cargo throughput via Hong Kong fell 8.4 percent in July, the smallest monthly decline since September last year, although shipments to Europe fell 21 percent from a year earlier and exports to North America dropped 15 percent, data from Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd showed on Monday.

Year-on-year change in air cargo via Hong Kong:

Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov
-8.4 -14.4 -18.6 -22.5 -21.1 -22.0 -30.9 -29.7 -19.0

Hong Kong is a re-export centre for trade between Asia and the rest of the world.

Air cargo volumes through Hong Kong in July totalled 201,157 tonnes.

Breakdown of air cargo handled by Hactl in July:


July 2009 Jan-Jul 2009
Tonnage Yr/Yr Tonnage Yr/Yr
(tonnes) growth (pct) (tonnes) growth (pct)
Export 103,314 -13.9 617,493 -24.1
Import 55,457 -2.6 325,939 -17.5
Transshipment 42,386 -0.6 261,483 -9.5
-----------------------------------------------------
Total 201,157 -8.4 1,204,915 -19.6

Teenager smuggling cocaine-soaked clothes held in Hong Kong
9 August 2009
Agence France Presse

Hong Kong customs on Sunday said it had arrested a teenager who was attempting to smuggle cocaine that had been soaked into items of clothing into the city.

The 18-year-old Hong Kong man was stopped when he passed through the city's international airport on Saturday, the city's customs said in a statement.

Officers seized 18 kilograms (40 pounds) of clothes "soaked" with cocaine, the statement added.

Local broadcaster RTHK said the man had concealed the cocaine in 35 items of clothing to try and avoid detection, but was stopped after officers noticed he was acting suspiciously.

He had flown to Hong Kong from Peru via Johannesburg with the drugs, worth five million Hong Kong dollars (640,000 US), RTHK said.

HK HACTL'S AIR CARGO TONNAGE THROUGHPUT DROPS 8.4% IN JULY

HONG KONG, Aug 11 Asia Pulse - Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) announced Monday that its tonnage throughput for July was 201,157 tons, representing a year-on-year decline of 8.4 per cent.

Cumulative tonnage from January to July was 1,204,915 tons, down 19.6 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Export volume in July dropped 13.9 per cent against last year to 103,314 tons. Aggregate export volume for the first seven months was 617,493 tons, down 24.1 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Import volume for July and for the first seven months were 55,457 tons and 325,939 tons respectively, representing a 2.6 per cent and 17.5 per cent decline year-on-year for the respective periods.

The transshipment volume in July showed clear improvement with 42,386 tons registered, down only 0.6 per cent year-on-year. Cumulative transshipment volume for the first seven months was 261, 483 tons, down 9.5 per cent year-on-year.

Hactl is a leading air cargo operator in Hong Kong, holding a market share of about 70 per cent.

HKIA Press Release:
Airport Traffic Figures Improve in July (http://hongkongairport.com/eng/media/press-releases/pr_967.html)

Airport traffic numbers flag revival
17 August 2009
The Standard

Hong Kong International Airport said July's year-on-year drop in passenger numbers and cargo throughput further narrowed, indicating air traffic movement is stabilizing.

Cargo traffic last month slid 8 percent, an improvement on the double-digit plunges seen since last November.

The two main reasons for the better performance in passenger traffic were the summer travel peak and receding concerns over human swine flu (H1N1), said Stanley Hui Hon-chung, chief executive of the Airport Authority Hong Kong.

While the volume of cargo exports declined by 13 percent year-on-year, imports and transshipments showed a low single-digit decrease compared with last year.

``The latest figures indicate that the downward momentum may have slowed. While we believe air traffic figures will see milder drops in the months ahead, it will take some time before overall traffic performance returns to pre-crisis levels,'' Hui added.

For the first seven months of the year, the airport's passenger traffic was down by 8.4 percent year-on-year to 26.4 million, while cargo throughput shed 18.1 percent to 1.8 million tonnes and aircraft movements slid 8 percent to 161,605.

Barclays Capital analyst Chang Jian said: ``Hong Kong's drop in exports narrowed for the fifth straight month in June, a decline of 5.4 percent year-on- year, compared with the record 23 percent plunge in February.

``Monthly data show that the improvement in exports was driven by slower declines in shipments to China and the US _ Hong Kong's two most important export destinations.''

The government on Friday announced that gross domestic product rose 3.3 percent quarter-on-quarter in the April-to-June period.

The economy, ending four consecutive quarters of contraction, has technically emerged from recession.

Several economists have forecast the economy is poised for a strong recovery in the second half.

``As a small, open economy geared to China's upturn, growth is headed for a sharp recovery in the second half of the year,'' Merrill Lynch economists TJ Bond and Dick Li said in a report.

Airport pulls out of steep dive
17 August 2009
South China Morning Post

The decline of Hong Kong's air traffic has been slowing, according to the Airport Authority's latest figures.

This news comes after the government reported the city's first economic growth in more than a year, with second-quarter gross domestic product up 3.3 per cent on the first quarter. The authority said cargo traffic had bounced back from the double-digit plunges recorded since November.

Last month Chek Lap Kok airport handled 291,000 tonnes of cargo, four million passengers and 23,315 flights - representing a year-on-year drop of 8.3 per cent, 9.5 per cent and 9.9 per cent, respectively.

The number of Hong Kong residents flying had seen yearly growth of about 3 per cent, while visitor numbers dropped 17 per cent and transfer or transit passengers dipped 10 per cent.

Airport Authority chief executive Stanley Hui Hon-chung said passenger traffic had been boosted with the summer holidays and receding anxiety about swine flu.

He believed the overall figures would see milder drops in the coming months but it would take some time before performance returned to pre-crisis levels.

"The latest figures indicate that the downward momentum may have slowed," Mr Hui said.

"The business climate is still challenging as economic activities remain low."

Cathay to maintain daily flight schedule
24 August 2009
Daily News (Sri Lanka)

Sri Lanka, Aug. 24 -- Cathay Pacific will maintain its daily flight schedule despite the heavy competition from new entrants to Sri Lanka.

Country Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, John Holden said the airline has recorded an increase in the number of passengers since June 2009 with the end of terrorism in the country.

Holden said the airline is promoting more tourists to Sri Lanka from Hong Kong through six packages for Hong Kong citizens through Cathay Holidays, a subsidiary of Cathay Pacific.

"The load factors for the airline have seen a steady increase in August with the holiday travel during the school holidays," Holden told Daily News Business. The improvement in the security situation in Sri Lanka is a major positive point in encouraging travel," Holden said.

Holden said they were happy that the country attracted 42,223 tourists in July 2009, a 28 percent rise compared to July 2008, with the improved security conditions.

"We are optimistic that there can be a further boost for the local tourism industry with more countries updating their travel advisories," he said.

Here are excerpts from the interview.

Q: What are your views on the current status in the aviation business?

A: On the passenger side, regional demand continued to be impacted by Influenza A (H1N1) in July, although there was a pick-up in leisure travel towards the end of the month and into August as concerns eased in some markets. Load factors remained flat compared with last year, despite many airlines significantly reducing capacity, highlighting the continued impact of the global economic downturn on demand. Bookings in the premium cabins remained especially weak which, combined with ongoing aggressive economy class competition and adverse currency movements, continued to affect any real recovery in airline yields.

On the cargo side, the tonnage decline has seen successive reductions since the beginning of 2009. The indications now are that the massive slide in the air cargo market has bottomed out and we were encouraged to see an increase in demand out of our home market, Hong Kong. However, similar to passenger business intense competition is still putting the yield under considerable pressure.

Q: How are Cathay Pacific operations in Sri Lanka faring?

A: In Sri Lanka, we are encouraged by the pickup in leisure travel during the school holidays in August.

The improvement in the security situation in Sri Lanka is a major positive point in encouraging travel. There are many attractive fare and package offers for our customers in August and for the months ahead in 2009.

Q: What are your popular destinations and attractions?

A: With our convenient schedules and world wide network, we continue to serve the Sri Lankan market with superior customer service. Popular destinations include, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea, North America and Australia.

Q: Any new promotions planned for the Holiday Season from Cathay?

A: Yes. We offer travel packages for the Singapore Grand Prix with hotel accommodation and airport transfers in addition to the tailor-made packages to Bangkok and Hong Kong.

Q: Any new plans to expand into new destinations?

A: Cathay Pacific Airways will launch flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's second major commercial city, from October 25, 2009.

The four-times-weekly service by the Airbus A330-300 aircraft will operate through Dubai on the way to and from Hong Kong.

Q: Do you plan to add more frequencies to the existing schedule?

A: We are reviewing our schedule regularly. Cathay Pacific is committed to serve Sri Lanka and will continue to operate daily flights between Colombo and Hong Kong.

Q: How optimistic are you of Sri Lanka picking up with the end of terrorism?

A: With improved security conditions, we are encouraged to observe that according to statistics issued by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the country attracted 42,223 tourists in July, a 28 percent rise compared with July 2008.

With more countries updating their Travel Advisories to reflect the improved security conditions, we are optimistic that there can be a further boost for the local tourism industry.Published by HT Syndication with permission from Daily News Sri Lanka.

Airport to set 'green' rules for vehicle fleets
31 August 2009
South China Morning Post

The Airport Authority will impose stricter rules on the 2,700-strong fleet of vehicles on the airport island in an effort to reduce emissions.

It hopes that within 10 years all vehicles operating within the airport will be clean-diesel, LPG, electric or hybrid-petrol powered.

But the authority admits some specialised diesel vehicles might not be convertible, while the reliability of electric cars in airfield operations had yet to be ascertained.

To take the lead, the authority is expanding the use of bio-diesel fuel for about 50 vehicles such as passenger buses and operations marshalling cars.

It is in talks with Sinopec, which operates three re-fuelling stations in the airport, to ensure a steady bio-diesel supply. At present, the authority relies on a Hong Kong bio-diesel supplier for fuel refined from waste cooking oil.

The Environment Bureau is expected to table a bill to regulate the specifications of bio-diesel by the end of this year and the authority expects supply can be expanded once the law is passed.

Sinopec is also adapting stations to supply LPG to cars operating within the airport's restricted areas.

Besides bio-diesel, the authority has already ordered two My Car vehicles - a Hong Kong-made electric car - for its own use. The cars are scheduled to arrive by October.

The authority is in talks with CLP Power to provide charging points for the cars.

Deputy director of airport operations, Ng Chi-kee, said there was room to upgrade and replace the airport fleet and cost was not an issue in the project.

Of the 2,700 vehicles operating at the airport, about 190 are owned by the Airport Authority and the rest are operated by franchises operating at the airport, such as Hong Kong Airport Services, Jardine Air Terminal Services, Menzies Aviation Group and Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals.

Mr Ng said new contracts would require environmentally friendly or fuel-efficient vehicles be chosen by operators of airport services when old vehicles or equipment were replaced. But the provisions would not specify targets.

He said that if all 1,850 diesel-run vehicles were switched to bio-diesel, it could save up to 1,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year.

But Mr Ng also cautioned that any changes must not compromise the safety and efficiency of the airport.

"We can't afford to have an electric car grounded due to a power shortage when it is half way to its destination," he said

"This might delay the taking off and landing of aircraft."

According to the Environment Bureau's air quality objectives consultation review, if 700 units of ground support equipment at the airport were electrified, it could save 85 tonnes of sulphur dioxide and 759 tonnes of nitrogen oxide. But it said this measure was not as cost-effective as other measures targeting on-road vehicles.

The government welcomed the authority's moves to "green" its fleet with bio-diesel but said the Euro V diesel now on sale at all refilling stations was as clean in terms of improving roadside air quality.

Swiss chef sends delights into the wide blue yonder
4 September 2009
South China Morning Post

The kitchen delights of Chesa are heading upwards from the Peninsula hotel. No it's not another location or even a hotel in the city, but on Swiss airlines - and it's only for those in business and first class.

The hospitality partnership was announced on Wednesday at a lunch, which included some of the dishes served on flights between Hong Kong and Zurich. The Penn's Swiss executive chef Florian Trento presented the culinary delights.

"I'm very excited because [tonight] the flights taking off will have our food," Trento, a Hong Kong resident for 15 years, said. "Airline catering is new to me. You develop the recipes and give them away hoping everything would be fine. I've learned that to serve meals at 30,000 feet in the air is very different."

For better or worse, the choice in the sky won't just be fondue or chocolate. "The biggest challenge for me is to translate the taste of the food into practical serving methods in the air. The creative restrictions begin at food preparation 24 hours before take off, then it will be reheated. Also, I'm not sure if the catering chefs would be able to follow the recipes exactly step by step.

At the hotel I could do any garnishing or decoration, but not so in the aircraft. The biggest problem is the appetiser. I have to figure out how to put the cold food directly onto the plate in the original form. It would be interesting for me to try the same menu on the ground and in the air."

However, for Markus Binkert, the Swiss airlines executive in charge of products and services who flew in for the event, it wasn't the new catering that made the biggest impression on him. "The garden suite's view is better than the Swiss mountains," he said.

http://***************/ref.php?id=764

Mag pulls ad as cops probe air ticket `racket'
4 September 2009
The Standard

A magazine has suspended advertising from a firm offering discount air tickets after a customer complaint sparked a police investigation.

Andrew Cunningham filed the complaint at the end of last month after promised air tickets failed to materialize.

Cunningham told The Standard he saw an ad for cheaperflights.co.cc in the August 1 issue of bc Magazine.

He contacted the travel agent via e-mail and got a quote of 1,020 (HK$12,900) for two American Airlines round-trip tickets from Hong Kong to New York to Florida and back to Hong Kong in October. Payment was to be made to a bank account in Spain.

``I thought it was a little bit fishy, so I contacted the magazine and American Airlines,'' Cunningham said.

He said the magazine assured him it had not received any complaints and the airline confirmed reservations had been made for him and his wife, so Cunningham deposited the money in the Spanish account in mid-August.

``I even recommended the site to a friend who was going to buy air tickets to the Philippines,'' Cunningham said.

But his friend did an internet search and found comments made by others claiming they had paid the agent but never received tickets.

Cunningham e-mailed the agent again and was told the tickets were on their way.

The airlines informed him the reservations were made but no payment had been received.

He also contacted the magazine several times only to be told there had been no complaints about the advertiser.

``I'm very disappointed with the magazine which should be somewhat responsible for my loss,'' Cunningham said.

A police spokesman confirmed it had received Cunningham's report on August 29 and that the case had been classified as a ``deception.''

Publisher of bc Magazine Simon Durrant said the advertiser had been contacted and the advertisement suspended until the dispute was resolved.

``It is purely a trade dispute between Mr Cunningham and the party concerned. You cannot blame the magazine for running an ad for a restaurant if you don't enjoy the meal,'' Durrant said.

A Consumer Council spokeswoman said local travel agents with real street addresses are more reliable because law enforcement and investigation could be conducted more efficiently should any complaint or scam arise.

Travelers should also check if an online travel agent is licensed before making purchases.

Air services agreement with Lao People's Democratic Republic signed
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Government Press Release

http://gia.info.gov.hk/general/200909/09/P200909090149_photo_1007541.JPG

Hong Kong's 60th air services agreement was signed in Hong Kong today (September 9) with the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, and Minister of Public Works and Transport of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, H. E. Mr Sommad Pholsena, signed the agreement between the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

The agreement provides a legal framework for establishing air links between Hong Kong and the Lao People's Democratic Republic, which will boost tourism and contribute to economic development.

"It is in our mutual interest to establish direct air links between the two places," Ms Cheng said at the signing ceremony.

"The signing of the agreement is in line with our policy of progressive liberalisation in air services between Hong Kong and our aviation partners."

Aviation partners that have signed air services agreements with Hong Kong are listed in the Annex.

http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200909/09/P200909090149.htm

INDIA'S KINGFISHER TO START FLIGHTS TO HK, SINGAPORE FROM MUMBAI
10 September 2009
Asia Pulse

NEW DELHI, Sept 10 Asia Pulse - Expanding its network of destinations in South-East Asia, Kingfisher Airlines (BSE: 532747) will commence daily non-stop flights from Mumbai to Hong Kong and Mumbai to Singapore from Sept 15 and 16 respectively.

"Given the strong linkages between India and South-East Asia, we believe that there is untapped potential and these new routes promise to serve the unmet needs of discerning corporate and leisure fliers," Kingfisher Airlines Vice- President (Global Sales) Siva Ramachandran said in a statement.

The airline will deploy Airbus A330 aircraft for both the services.

Kingfisher, with a fleet of 71 aircraft, currently flies to five overseas destinations - London, Dubai, Bangkok, Colombo and Dhaka.

Hong Kong Aug air cargo marks smallest decline in a year

HONG KONG, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Air cargo throughput via Hong Kong fell 6.2 percent in August, the smallest monthly decline in a year and imported cargo rose for the first time since May 2008, a further indication that global trade flows are improving, data from Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd showed on Wednesday.

Year-on-year change in air cargo via Hong Kong:

Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec
-6.2 -8.4 -14.4 -18.6 -22.5 -21.1 -22.0 -30.9 -29.7

Hong Kong is a re-export centre for trade between Asia and the rest of the world.

Air cargo volumes through Hong Kong in August totalled 206,810 tonnes.

Breakdown of air cargo handled by Hactl in August:


August 2009 Jan-Aug 2009
Tonnage Yr/Yr Tonnage Yr/Yr
(tonnes) growth (pct) (tonnes) growth (pct)
Export 107,946 -10.1 725,439 -22.3
Import 55,973 4.0 381,912 -14.9
Transshipment 42,891 -8.2 304,374 -9.3
------------------------------------------------------
Total 206,810 -6.2 1,411,725 -17.9

HKIA's Passenger Traffic Up, Cargo Registers Milder Drop in August
2009-09-13
http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/media/press-releases/pr_970.html


(HONG KONG, 13 September 2009) – Hong Kong International Airport's (HKIA) traffic figures continued to improve in August, with passenger throughput growing 2.8% from the same period last year to 4.3 million. Meanwhile, the decline in cargo volume slowed to a single-digit figure of 5.2%, recording 295,000 tonnes, while air traffic movements decreased by 6.7% to 23,710.

Though cargo exports and transshipments still experienced volume declines in the range of 7 to 8% year on year, imports grew at approximately 4%, the first sign of positive growth since June 2008. While a number of export markets including Europe, North America and Japan continued to record double-digit drops, Taiwan was the only transshipment market to register a double-digit decline. On the passenger side, Hong Kong residents and transfer/ transit passengers showed year-on-year growth of 12% and 1%, respectively. Visitor number, however, fell slightly by 1%.

Stanley Hui Hon-chung, Chief Executive Officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong, said, "August performance is in line with the stabilisation trend we have noted in recent months. Following double-digit drops in cargo throughput for eight consecutive months from November 2008, the 5.2% decrease in August shows further improvement from July's 8.3% decline. However, the narrowed drop should be viewed against the background that both passenger and cargo volumes started to show first signs of slowdown in August 2008.

"Looking ahead, we expect to see further improvement in air cargo demand and load factor as a result of reduced freighter capacity supply and a seasonal demand increase in the market. Meanwhile, although August saw mild growth in passenger traffic, we maintain a cautious outlook on the performance as global economy and aviation are only in the very early stage of a slow and possibly volatile recovery," said Mr Hui.

From January to August, the airport received some 30.7 million passengers, processed 2 million tonnes of cargo and handled 185,290 aircraft movements, representing yearly declines of 6.9%, 16.5% and 7.9%, respectively.

On a rolling 12-month basis, passenger throughput was down 6.1% year-on-year to 46.3 million. While aircraft movements dropped slightly by 5.6% to 285,340, cargo volume slid 16.2% to 3.2 million tonnes.

:)

It rose? Interesting ... hard to believe this year's summer boom could be better than last year's.

Qantas to sack 200 - Maintenance jobs go to HK
12 September 2009
Daily Telegraph

QANTAS angered unions when it revealed it would scrap more than 200 jobs and outsource extra aircraft engine maintenance to a Hong Kong company.

It told staff and unions it was closing its Sydney Rolls-Royce aircraft engine maintenance centre, meaning all remaining local engine maintenance would be done in Melbourne.

The Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association lashed out at the national carrier, accusing it of risking quality in a bid to maintain profits.

Qantas blamed a reduced aircraft fleet for shutting the operations and the decision to send work to Hong Kong Aero Engine Services.

``Due to significantly reduced future work loads, we are converting Qantas Engineering's Sydney Rolls-Royce engine maintenance centre to an engine support operation that will specialise in repairs and spare engine management,'' a Qantas spokesman said.

``Employee numbers will reduce from 360 to [about] 140 in 2009-10.''

Qantas said the number of engines requiring major overhaul would drop from 29 in 2008-09 to eight this financial year and two in 2012-13.

The union disputed these figures. ALAEA federal secretary Steve Purvinas said there were more than 100 Rolls-Royce engines still operating.

``The total reduction in engines is from 100 to 76. The ALAEA do not accept the need to service the Rolls-Royce engines will drop from 29 last financial year to eight,'' he said.

``This is not the first time we have seen Qantas cook the books in order to outsource work. In this case the work is going straight to Hong Kong where it will be done cheaper at the expense of quality,'' he said.

Mr Purvinas said the engine shop was important to train apprentices.

``To take that away is a further demonstration Qantas have no value or respect for its long-standing safety record. Qantas is tearing down maintenance in this country piece by piece,'' he said.

It is understood Qantas will retrain more than 100 staff for other engineering roles, and more than 60 will take voluntary redundancies.

Vitours to arrange Danang-Hong Kong charter flights
11 September 2009
The Saigon Times Daily

DANANG - Vitours Company Limited yesterday announced that it would arrange return charter flights between the central coast city of Danang and Hong Kong for athletes and tourists.

The first such international charter flights to and from Danang so far this year would be operated by the national flag air carrier, Vietnam Airlines. Vitours is making efforts to attract enough guests for the flights between Danang and Hong Kong.

Cao Tri Dung, director of Vitours Company Limited, told reporters in Danang yesterday that the forthcoming service had attracted 150 athletes from European and Asian countries and territories.

These athletes will fly to Danang on September 30 via the arrangement by Hong Kong’s Action Asia Events to participate in an international terrain marathon set to take place in Tay Giang District in the neighboring province of Quang Nam around the date.

However, as Vitours needs more guests to increase occupancy on these flights, the company is working with other travel companies and also promoting its five-day package tours for tourists in the central region. These packages will take in shopping centers and Disneyland in Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and Macau.

Dung did not detail the prices of these package tours but said they were US$100 lower than normal tours. He said Vitours wanted to help attract guests from Hong Kong, Macau and southern parts of China to Danang and encourage travelers in central Vietnam to explore destinations in Hong Kong.

Hoang Ha, director of the Danang Airport Authority, said the charter flights would become a reality after surveying the market and called for companies to join to make it a success.

INTERVIEW-TNT sees improving air freight mkt, time to invest

HONG KONG, Sept 18 (Reuters) - TNT NV , Europe's second-largest global express delivery company, sees improvement in the air freight market and believes that the time is right to expand in Asia-Pacific, a company executive said on Friday.

The Dutch delivery service company picked Hong Kong as its South China hub for the launch on Friday of its Boeing 747-400 freighter direct service to its European hub in Liege, Belgium three times a week as part of its global expansion.

"Customers will continue to grow. We think it's a good time (to expand) because that's in line with our strategy. We don't think we should be waiting until late next year when the market has supposedly fully recovered from the crisis," regional managing director James McCormac told Reuters in an interview.

An improving air cargo market would be welcome news to not just delivery companies like TNT, but also to aircraft makers Boeing , Airbus and Bombardier , who have seen orders hit hard by a steep fall in passenger and freight traffic.

Earlier this month, Bombardier said it saw improving cargo volumes leading the way to a recovery for the sector.

McCormac said the company anticipated demand volume in the region would be close to the peak through the Chinese New Year, and the freighter may increase rotations or frequency of the flights according to the volume.

"At the moment it's three days a week, but we will look at the volume," he said.

The new service will be in addition to TNT's four-times-weekly express flights between Shanghai and Liege with a stopover in Singapore, which the company has been operating since 2007.

TNT reported that core profit for the second quarter fell 45 percent, its fourth consecutive year-on-year decline. The company boosted its cost savings target to cope with weaker demand for delivery services. .

But TNT, which is next in size only to Deutsche Post as Europe's biggest, said it was expanding operations worldwide to maximise its network performance.

"We have the capacity for upgrading our network at this moment. We have the volume to support that network expansion," McCormac said.

Separately, TNT's U.S. rival FedEx Corp also expressed optimism about the economy, despite reporting a 53 percent drop in quarterly profit on Thursday, saying that most of its markets were continuing to show signs of improvement.

FedEx Chairman Fred Smith at a conference call in Chicago on Thursday predicted that the U.S. economy would grow by 3 percent in the third quarter, 4.9 percent in the fourth quarter and 2.9 percent in 2010.

Two airlines seek return of surcharge as cost of fuel rises
22 September 2009
South China Morning Post

Two major airlines that waived their fuel surcharges in July are seeking to impose the tariff again from next month in the light of rising prices for jet fuel.

All Nippon Airways filed a request to the Civil Aviation Department yesterday, while Japan Airlines was expected to do so this week. Both airlines posted the news on their websites.

Cathay Pacific, Nepal Airlines and Singapore Airlines also sought the department's approval yesterday to extend the surcharge for another two months to November 30.

All carriers flying to and from Hong Kong must notify the department of any surcharge change every two months. The current levy expires next Wednesday.

A review at the end of July approved maximum surcharges of HK$69 per short-haul flight and HK$318 on long-haul flights. Both ANA and JAL charged HK$39 per trip before they stopped imposing the surcharge in July.

A spokesman for the department said a decision on airlines' requests was to be made this week, taking into account aviation fuel price changes, carriers' arguments, and other relevant factors, such as charges levied by other airlines.

"The department is also considering granting only one-month approval to requests so that reviews are conducted more frequently," the spokesman said.

Both ANA and JAL explain on their websites that their applications were made because of an increase in the price of Singapore kerosene - a type of jet fuel.

Other carriers that operate flights between Hong Kong and Japan, including Cathay and Dragonair, continued to charge the levy.

The tariff was first imposed by carriers in mid-2004 when jet fuel was US$43.21 per barrel.

Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents chairman Michael Wu Siu-ieng said: "As long as the levy level is set reasonably, passengers will not mind paying it."

Gov't Press Release:
Express air route in Hong Kong airspace implemented (with photo) (http://info.gov.hk/gia/general/200910/02/P200910020111.htm)

Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Ltd. (HAECO) Press Release:
HAECO opens third hangar (http://www.haeco.com/company_update/0925%20HAECO%20opens%20third%20hangar%20_E_.pdf)

Hong Kong Government To Shorten Aircraft Approach Routes Into Hong Kong Airport
2-10-2009
source (http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=200910020540dowjonesdjonline000343&title=hong-kong-government-to-shorten-aircraft-approach-routes-into-hong-kong-airport)


HONG KONG -(Dow Jones)- Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department said Friday it plans to shorten some of the air routes for flights arriving into the city's international airport, in a move that could save up to 14 minutes of flying time for inbound flights.


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y163/Caelusxxx/NewRoutes.jpg


The government department said the new routes, to be launched Oct. 22, have been developed based on new satellite navigation technology, and will allow aircraft arriving in Hong Kong from the west and the north to make a shorter approach.

When implemented, the new approach routes will shave up to 210 kilometers on the distance traveled for flights arriving in Hong Kong from mainland China, Southeast Asia or Europe, the department said.

All of the world's commercial aircraft fly on pre-established flight routes, which are approved by local regulators and international aviation bodies in order to ensure safety.

:banana:

But the filghts from North America and North East Asia still can't benefit from the new arrangement.

Hello everybody, can anyone tell me, if there is always the same approach to HKG, i mean from the same side or depends on a wind? I just will be arriving to HKG by night and i want to view Hong Kong island from the sky, i can have that view if i sit on the right or the left side in the plane, or it depends?

But the filghts from North America and North East Asia still can't benefit from the new arrangement.

It actually does, see that black X by Macao in the graphic above?
That's the arrival path from the north.

Hello everybody, can anyone tell me, if there is always the same approach to HKG, i mean from the same side or depends on a wind? I just will be arriving to HKG by night and i want to view Hong Kong island from the sky, i can have that view if i sit on the right or the left side in the plane, or it depends?

What time is your flight?

If you land before 10pm, you want to sit on the LEFT side of the plane, hope the flight will approach from the east, and flies over the Victoria Harbour.

If you land after 10pm, you want to sit on the RIGHT side of the plane, hope the flight will approach from the east as well. However, it doesn't fly over the Victoria Harbour, but only to the west of it and you can get a glance.

After all, if your flight ends up approaching from the west, it doesn't matter where you sit, you are not going to see anything.

EricIsHim, thanx for the info :) My flight will be arriving at 21:45 next Friday )