Airport Authority Welcomes Support from Policy Address on Actively Expanding Aviation Network

Expanding Airport City Development and Consolidating a Leading International Aviation Hub

(Hong Kong, 17 September 2025, 2130hrs) – Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) welcomes the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address, in which he supports Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in consolidating its position as a leading international aviation hub, through accelerating the expansion of its aviation network, and further enhancing its intermodal connectivity with the Greater Bay Area, strengthening its global cargo leadership, as well as expanding its Airport City development.

AAHK welcomes the government's continued pursuit of new bilateral air services arrangements and expansion of air traffic rights, as well as its efforts to attract local and non-local airlines to operate more flights to destinations. With full support of the government’s efforts in this direction, AAHK has successfully attracted Routes World to hold its annual event in Hong Kong for the first time, providing an opportunity for the global aviation industry to understand the new developments at HKIA and discuss about establishing new routes. Routes World will take place next week, with representatives from over 790 organisations, a new record for the event, from more than 110 countries around the world.

AAHK is also pressing full steam ahead with the building of a world-class Airport City, SKYTOPIA. Leveraging the land and marine resources adjacent to HKIA, the Airport Bay Marina will be Hong Kong’s largest yacht berthing facility, offering around 600 short- and long-term berths. AAHK expresses gratitude for government’s assistance in promoting the yacht economy. Various measures, such as relaxing requirements for visiting yachts and facilitating immigration procedures, were proposed in the Policy Address. These measures will help to promote the development of the high-end yacht economy.

In addition, AAHK will continue to fully support the Chief Executive’s initiative proposed in the Policy Address on establishing a regional gold reserve hub and will plan at full speed on expanding the gold storage facility at the airport.

AAHK thanks the Chief Executive for praising HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park as the most successful model of Greater Bay Area (GBA) co-operation. AAHK starts to develop the project in 2023, offering innovative sea-air intermodal transshipment services for international air freight in the Greater Bay Area. Upon security screening and cargo acceptance in Dongguan, the service allows mainland cargo to be transported directly to the HKIA for transshipment, significantly reducing operating costs. Construction for the permanent facility of the HKIA Logistics Park officially began. Upon full operation in 2027, this facility will have an annual cargo handling capacity of approximately one million tonnes, helping HKIA to further consolidate its leading role as the world’s top cargo airport. In addition, AAHK is leveraging cargo data from the HKIA Cargo Data Platform to promote digital trade financing.

AAHK also thanks the government for implementing measures for expanding the exemption scope of the Air Passenger Departure Tax. Through its intermodal connectivity network, HKIA has been serving the passenger market of the entire GBA, so that GBA passengers can travel to HKIA conveniently to take international flights. Expanding the exemption scope of the Air Passenger Departure Tax will help to attract more mainland travelers to cross the border and come to Hong Kong for flying to international destinations.

Vivian Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of AAHK, said, "We sincerely thank and support the Chief Executive for the various measures supporting the airport’s development in his Policy Address. With the commissioning of the Three-runway System last year, and the upcoming phased opening of the new Terminal 2, as well as the full-steam development of SKYTOPIA, the airport has entered a new phase of expansion. We will continue to work hand in hand with the relevant government bureaus and departments, and the airport community to achieve greater success for HKIA.”