[cwoodward]

A Cathay Pacific B747-400F ex Shanghai was the first commercial aircraft to land on the new ‘North’ runway yesterday.
This is a full length runway of over 3,500 meters and over 640 hectares of reclaimed ocean was required to accommodate the runways and extensive taxiways needed.
The new 3RS runway was completed in an astonishing 2.2 year time frame.
The current 2 runway system had in normal times been handling close to 450,000 flights per annum and was becoming constrained and forecast critically so within 4 years.

Realignment work on the now centre runway will closeit for for some months while taxiways are realigned to accommodate the enlarged passenger terminal now under construction.

The new 3RS is is expected to become fully operational in a few weeks and the airport become a true 3 runway operation later in the year when flight operations and traffic returns to full pre Covid operation.

I was having drink with some some fellow expats last evening and the subject of how long a similar reclamation and construction operation would take in the UK came up. The consensus of the 3 construction engineers among us was 10 years minimum if in fact ever actually got started.

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stevescoots

[cwoodward]

The new runway is in fact already fully operational with 36flightslanding later yesterday.
What is now the centre runway closed this morning for the lengthy work described above

FlightRadar 24 has not caught up with the changes or the third runway and shows aircraft and mobile runway equipment landing and parking in the ocean.

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Tom Otley

[christ]

What a waste of time. Few airlines fly here. Not a single US airline or BA or Virgin until at least winter timetable!

I do not see many airlines rushing to come back.

Hilarious when you say return to pre – Covid! I think maybe in 2025! There are no plans for this!

[GivingupBA]

[postquote quote=1223475]

Not a waste of time. We have seen the problems at so many European airports, with a return to mass travel happening much more quickly this summer than anyone foresaw, clogging up the systems.

I think HKG is wise in what it is doing here.

Thanks for the report, cwoodward.

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FormerBA

[CathayLoyalist2]

[postquote quote=1223488]

Christ, I do not agree it is a waste of time. This would have been planned and developed many years ago ans certainly pre pandemic. Infrastructure projects like this are built with the long term in mind. Me thinks you have a downer on HKG as in another post you believe CX is inferior to BA

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FormerBA

[cwoodward]

Christ

BA here every day direct from LHR and United often twice a day for months now.
KLM and Finnair back as are Swiss Qantas and Lufthansa both for several months now

If you are going to post negatively about Cathay and HK best perhaps try to get your facts right .

[cwoodward]

Ah -I forgot Air New Zealand, Air India, JAL-ANA -Malaysian – Air Canada all who have been back for some weeks now. As are Philippine Airlines – Cebu -Air asia (in various forms) Korean – Scoot – American Airlines (back today) and on and on.

[Woodpecker]

The only hurdle holding back HKG from a speedier recovery is the compulsory quarantine for incoming passengers and/or closed loop requirements for crew. The day this is removed – and it is only a matter of time – airlines will come flooding back. HKG is too lucrative a region to be given up on.

Conventional wisdom in stock markets say to buy when the chips are down. Using the same analogy, investment now in the third runway, revamp of Terminal 2 plus an extra mid field concourse – all of which is scheduled to be completed by 2024, will be the foundation for long term growth.

Pre covid HKG was almost bursting at the seams, it is highly likely that the day China opens up again HKG traffic will get back to the same level. Which is when all the new infrastructure will pay dividends.

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FormerBA, cwoodward

[christ]

cwoodward – BA (or Virgin) have not flown to Hong Kong for months with passenger operation. The earliest flights that can be booked are the winter with the first flight being sunday 30 October (although not many expect it will happen). I believe Virgin may start earlier.

There are no United or American flights and so i have no idea where you got that from – “American Airlines back today”. It is clearly stated that American will not return this year.

Qantas also does not resume until late October at the earliest.

Cathay flies daily to London and 3 or 4 times a week to US (3 or 4 cities and so effectively 12).

I only hope quarantine does disappear but with zero covid policy of China, I am not so sure.

I think BA may run cargo flights to HK via Bangkok but I could be wrong.

[cwoodward]

Christ

You are totally wrong about United flights a 777 arrived this morning and as they tie up at the passenger terminal (as apposed to the freight terminal) I presume that they are carrying passengers-they have arrived almost every day for months. According to their web site they are selling tickets the non stop ex LA from tomorrow. American Airlines flight 9740 a 77W which is passenger aircraft ex Tokyo arrived at noon today. Qantas for a few weeks now but only on selected days. Cathay now fly to LA and NY and San Fran (most days) every day and again to Boston and again to/from Vancouver plus Toronto (for months with almost all flights overbooked both ways) and almost all Indian destinations again from this month fly to. BA from LHR every day for several weeks now. Virgin per quotes from UK industry sites are likely to restart now from end August instead of October providing that they have available crew.

I presume that you have no disagreement with the the other airlines that I posted.

Just online – United web site: United Airlines are now selling tickets for restart non-stop service between LA and Hong Kong.

Your quote ‘only a few airlines fly here’ is not only wrong its both a misleading and irresponsible post from someone who says that they live in Hong Kong and claims to enjoy it.

[esselle]

[postquote quote=1223498]

If memory serves, the planning for a 3rd runway at HKG started in around 2015. From plan to operation in less than 10 years seems quite a good outcome.

Albeit the constraints are somewhat different, but compare this to a 3rd runway at LHR.

[christ]

Good point re planning runway.

@cwoodward, you are wrong I am afraid and not really painting the true picture. Most are flying through other Asia countries such as Singapore and Thailand. Qatar prices have doubled also from last year.

There is a BA cargo flight but NO flights from LHR until sunday 30 oct if you attempt to book.

Perhaps you are getting confused, the only LAX to HK flights are United to Japan and then connecting onto Air Nippon or Asiana (I think some are Seoul).

American is via Japan on JAL or Cathay for Japan to HK.

Qantas – nothing until end of October.

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/timetables.html

It really is very simple to check.

[FormerBA]

We know how long it takes to get things done here but I wonder how many people died in the construction of HKG airport or this shiny new runways? They may of course have fabulous H&S procedures but you nedd to compare like with like.

The situation in Qatar was / is ghastly

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Frederic

[FormerBA]

[postquote quote=1223606]

The BA service is freight only but operates under the BA32/31 flight number no doubt to protect slots at LHR.

I hope HKG opens along with other major hubs as the level of fares via other carriers across Asia is exorbitant at present. Qatar are not only charging top dollar but are very busy on board as well. There must be a lot of vouchers being used up and then topped up.

[cwoodward]

Christ -you are incorrect on almost every point above AA aircraft is at the airport now and to say otherwise is just nonsense.
Yes, simple to check and perhaps you should do that prior to posting

BTW
I forgot to mention the return of Sri Lankan (direct), Turkish, Emirates, Qatar and the other ‘sand box” airlines plus EVA and Nepal
Good to see the 380s of Singapore, Emirates and Korean back in the last few days (they don’t carry freight) and Ethiopian just landed an Dreamliner flt ET608 ex Bangkok.

I don’t feel that its right to embarrass you further here and having clearly made my point to all to counter your nonsense post re ‘few airlines flying to HK” its time to stop now and I wont be posting further re landings into the very popular Hong Kong airport.

[Author]

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