Hong Kong and Beijing Airports Become “Sister Airports”

(HONG KONG, 28 October 2010) – Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and Beijing Capital International Airport Co., Ltd. (BCIA Co., Ltd.) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Beijing today on a “sister airports” arrangement between Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA).

Li Jiaxiang, Administrator of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC); Dong Zhiyi, Executive President of Capital Airports Holding Company (CAH); Liu Yanbin, Secretary of Party Leadership Group & Vice President of CAH; Dr Marvin Cheung Kin-tung, Chairman of AAHK; and Dr Lo Ka-shui, Board Member of AAHK, witnessed the signing of the MOU by Stanley Hui Hon-chung, Chief Executive Officer of AAHK, and Zhang Guanghui, Executive President of BCIA Co., Ltd.

The decision to enter into the arrangement was made to expand experience-sharing and cooperation between HKIA and BCIA, which have been exchanging management expertise and jointly training staff since 2002. AAHK also provided consultancy and support services for the smooth launch of BCIA’s Terminal 3 prior to the Olympic Games in 2008. The arrangement will help the two parties explore new cooperation opportunities that will contribute to the development of the two airports as well as the economic growth of their home cities and peripheral areas.

AAHK Chairman Dr Marvin Cheung Kin-tung said BCIA is one of HKIA’s first partner airports in the Mainland, and that he is delighted the two airports could further strengthen their cooperation and communication.

Dr Cheung added, “The successful partnership between HKIA and BCIA would not have been achieved without the dedication of all staff of the two airports. We are also thankful for the strong support from the CAAC and the Hong Kong SAR Government. The MOU not only reinforces the longstanding relationship between HKIA and BCIA, but also helps us enhance our management and operation systems by providing a better platform for continued experience-sharing. This will also elevate our competitiveness and promote the development of the Mainland’s aviation industry.”

HKIA and BCIA have been frequently sharing airport management experiences in the past. Around 600 staff members from CAH have come to HKIA for visits and training. The two airports will have closer exchanges in the future on development strategies as well as airport management and operations. They would include seminars and on-the-job training for the staff of the sister airports.

CAH Executive President Dong Zhiyi said, “While both HKIA and BCIA possess state-of-the-art infrastructure and have accumulated profound knowledge in airport management and operations, BCIA could learn from HKIA’s international operations while HKIA could gain valuable knowledge from BCIA’s Mainland aviation hub business. The MOU opens up new opportunities for the two parties to form closer ties, share information and expertise on airport management and service quality control systems, as well as exploring potential cooperation initiatives.”

With its strategically important geographic location and a flight network of 209 destinations, comprising 96 international and 113 domestic destinations, BCIA is one of the busiest international hub airports on the Chinese Mainland. The airport handled 65.37 million passenger trips and 488,500 aircraft movements in 2009.

HKIA has been the busiest international air cargo facility in the world for 14 consecutive years and is the third-busiest worldwide in terms of international passenger volume. The airport has been named the world's best airport more than 30 times for its renowned efficiency and service over the years.