HKIA Celebrates Grand Opening of Midfield Concourse On-schedule Full Operation Increases Airport’s Passenger Handling Capacity

(HONG KONG, 31 March 2016) – Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) held a Grand Opening Ceremony at the Midfield Concourse (MFC) of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) today to celebrate the full operation of the facility on-schedule, marking another milestone in the ongoing development of the airport.

The ceremony was officiated by Jack So Chak-kwong, Chairman of the AA; Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Chief Secretary for Administration; Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, Secretary for Transport and Housing; and Fred Lam, Chief Executive Officer of the AA.  Over 200 business partners, government officials, industry members and other guests attended the event to mark the occasion.

Mr So thanked AA’s staff and contractors for their effort, as well as the support of relevant authorities, in completing the MFC on time and within budget. He said, “The Concourse is an important development project that will help HKIA meet increasing traffic demand in the medium term, as we work towards completion of the Three-runway System. Incorporating numerous green features, the facility was designed with environmental sustainability in mind.”

Mrs Lam said, “HKIA, connecting Hong Kong to about 190 cities in the Mainland and overseas, is the most important transport infrastructure maintaining Hong Kong’s external connections, as well as an engine for our city’s economic growth.  The outstanding achievement of HKIA today is attributable to the collective efforts of HKIA’s business partners, the aviation services sector, the relevant government departments and every stakeholder in society.  My congratulations on the full operation of the MFC and I wish the business of our airport will continue to prosper. ”

Located to the west of Terminal 1 between HKIA’s two existing runways, the 105,000-square-metre five-storey concourse provides 20 parking positions and has increased the ratio of passengers boarding and disembarking aircraft using airbridges, enhancing the overall airport experience.  Passengers can reach the MFC by an extension of the Automated People Mover system from Terminal 1.

The retail and catering outlets at the MFC offer a wide array of choices for passengers, providing a one-stop shopping and dining experience before they board their flights. Passengers can also enjoy the various ancillary facilities provided at the MFC, including newly designed seats with power sockets, deck chairs along the glass façade, as well as free Wi-Fi connections and internet-enabled computer stations.

As environmental protection is a core value of HKIA, numerous cutting-edge green technologies and more than 35 green features have been incorporated into the design of the MFC – including low-energy lighting systems, North-facing skylights, solar shading and high performance façade glazing, which maximise the use of natural light and regulate indoor temperature. Features such as planters, green walls and rooftop solar panels have been incorporated into the MFC, which aspires to be one of the first buildings in Hong Kong to be certified to the BEAM Plus Final Gold Standard.

The MFC has been operating smoothly since its first flight departed on 28 December 2015. Operating in full capacity, it now handles about 230 flights per day, which accounts for around 20% of HKIA’s daily passenger flights. The Concourse is expected to increase HKIA’s handling capacity by 10 million passengers per year.