New Hong Kong Airport

New Hong Kong airport boss says he WILL win public support for third runway

By June 2, 2015 / 16:02 HKT

The new chairman of the Airport Authority, Jack So, said that he will continue to press on with the controversial plan to build a HKD141.5 billion third runway at Hong Kong Airport – and the public will support him, gosh darn it!

The plan to expand Hong Kong International Airport to a three-runway system has been met with disapproval from environmental groups, who have expressed concern that the reclamation project will be done at the expense of ecologically sensitive areas.

Oh and don’t forget that there’s a mountain that’s sort of in the way.

“All these are challenges that we have to overcome. But it does not mean these are reasons why we have to abandon the project, ” he said.

So was quick to play the improving-the-economy card to justify the third runway, claiming “flights will go elsewhere, tourists and business investors will go to other cities”.

So – the head of the MTR Corp. in 1995 – said he faced similar objections in the planning stages of the Airport Express.

He added that he is ready to prepare regular reports on progress details.

“To win public support, we will have to be transparent, we have to be accountable to the public.”

The runway was approved in March by the Executive Council and is expected to increase plane landings from 68 to 102 per hour.