Hong Kong Airport announces “Enhancement Project”

Big changes are on the horizon for Hong Kong International Airport. The Hong Kong Airport Authority recently announced an extensive renovation of Terminal 1, expected to revitalize the feel and design of the facility and increase the airport’s capacity for greater passenger traffic.

At the heart of the project is an expansion of the current terminal building, adding square footage northwards to face Car Park 4. This work will add over 40 new check-in counters, with self-service baggage drop. The expansion will also add two new carousels to the baggage claim area in the Arrivals Hall, which will also see an increase in the number of landside seats, shops, and dining options.

In the Departures section, the East Hall, which was expanded in 2006, will be refitted to include more recreation areas, such as an outdoor rooftop garden and a two-level children’s play area. The food court will get a complete redesign to improve the flow of foot traffic. Even the duty free shops are receiving an upgrade. New anchor stores will incorporate experimental, engaging, and interactive sections, including a whiskey bar. Many of the designs for these revitalized areas promise the addition of more vibrant, saturated color palettes to the airport’s already clean, modern lines, giving the facility an overall warmer look and feel.

The extensive enhancement package doesn’t end there. Passenger traffic will be streamlined by the 200-meter Sky Bridge, a weatherproof pedestrian bridge connecting Terminal 1 to the North Satellite Concourse. Currently, the North Satellite Concourse is only accessible by shuttle bus. At 28 meters above the ground, the Sky Bridge will be tall enough for even the largest aircraft to taxi underneath. The towers on either side of the bridge will feature new dining facilities and an airside observation deck where passengers can watch takeoffs and landings.

Both this enhancement project, budgeted at 7 billion dollars, and the new three-runway system currently under construction are part of a larger master plan to increase Hong Kong International Airport’s capacity by the year 2024. Work began on the three-runway system in August 2016 and is expected to be completed in 2023, while the Airport Authority plans to finish this renovation of Terminal 1 by the year 2020.

Article by Danielle Bricker