Hong Kong International Airport expects revenue to grow by up to 10 per cent this year despite disruptions from the Iran conflict, with its chief executive aiming to position it as an alternative hub to the Middle East.
In a wide-ranging interview with the South China Morning Post on Thursday, Airport Authority Hong Kong CEO Vivian Cheung Kar-fay said flights that had been cancelled due to the conflict – including those by flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways – were those that were “less desirable” among travellers.
Cheung added that the authority was working to attract airlines to the city to launch flights.
“Some aircraft might not be able to stop by, or fall out of, the Middle East, and they might choose other places, and Hong Kong can be a great starting point for them to launch their flights,” she said on the sidelines of the Singapore Yachting Festival.
“That is something we will work on for the coming years. Of course, hopefully the war will end soon, and oil prices will come down, but even with the current status, we’re working on other alternatives.”
Cheung said that Hong Kong airport was expected to welcome about 70 million passengers this year, an increase from around 61 million last year, despite flight cancellations caused by the conflict.