Originally Posted by
B-HOR
I found this thread looking into the 3rd runway consultation thread, I was hoping any of your learned gentlemen could help me with these questions.
I was wondering how a 3rd runway will benefit HKIA when it does not seem to make full utility of its existing 2 runways? What difference does it make whether Hong Kong adds a 3rd, or 4th, or 10th runway when HKIA airport cannot but land one plane-at-a-time? In other words, irregardless of the 2 runways existing, only one runway is ever used for either take-offs or landing at-a-time, unlike many other airports where I have witnessed regular tandem use of the runways, e.a., traffic arriving and departing from runways simultaneously. How does a 3rd runway change that equation?
This has apparently nothing to do with ground capacity problems and everything with airspace allotment, and unless I'm wrong, I don't believe any amount of landfilling will resolve the airspace congestion issue and I haven't heard of any initiatives by the SAR government to engage China to resolve airspace restrictions imposed on Hong Kong.
One of the contributors in this thread mentioned the Macau airport in passing... which is of interest to me since the Macau Airport is essentially a perfectly serviceable runway that has in the past processed Antonov An-124 aircraft to dispel any notions that it would not be suited for the diversion of increased cargo traffic to the Macua facility, if such "growth" were to occur at all. Why is it inconceivable to consider routing more cargo through the Macau facility at all?
Finally, I must confess to being a perpetual growth skeptic, since I do not see much of a future for the continued air handling of rubber dog poo, as the cargo doggies so fondly refer to it, when oil prices seem intent on parking permanently above $100-a-barrel or more.
In short... the Pearl River estuary in fact has 3 existing perfectly usable runways which in fact are really not being put to optimum use in the first place. How will adding an additional runway change anything?
I simply smell another construction boondoggle.
Hi B-HOR,
To answer your first question, when looking at runways and configuration etc, its always better to use single-mode runways (ie designated take-off only and designated landing only) because it takes time when switching between the two modes. For example if an aircraft is on final, ATC will not permit a take-off even if it appears the aircraft waiting to take-off will take-off in time. A third runway should hopefully allow for one mixed-mode runway and one of each of the designated runways. As for getting a runway before utilising all capacity, it allows for more flexibility within the airport system. It may take in excess of 10-20 years before any runway is built and as far as I know, spare capacity at HKG is minimal...if all airports waited for runway capacity to be saturated before planning a new runway, it would be looking at no expansion for the duration of the planning phase.
Its true that landfilling won't address the issues of airspace restrictions. However, I think the issue here again is the time-frame it will take to resolve each issue. The time-frame in planning, building and inplementing a new runway is far greater than the time it takes to engage China in talks to reduce or remove airspace restrictions.
In terms of diverting traffic to Macau, I think that's an issue of competition. I don't think any airport in the world would promote the fact that a neighbouring airport is actually more suited to developing capacity than they are! In the case of Macau, it is far too easy for an airline who currently uses HKG for Cargo to fly there and ship everything back into Hong Kong!
Referring to your last point about the other three runways, again, its a competition issue. HKG is in a very good position in terms of being a passenger hub and it wants to maintain that...after all, they are a money making business!
As for my own view on the matter, I believe that in order for HKG to continue to maintain its status as Asia's hub, it must achieve the plan to build a third runway. Not building a third runway at HKG will make it more and more like LHR - unable to grow its capacity and even see a drop in passenger levels as passengers seek to fly through stronger hubs such as AMS and CDG.