Airport Upgrade To Cater To Cross-border Travellers

The Airport Authority (AA) is planning to build automated car parks by the Hong Kong entrance to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge that would allow cross-border visitors to catch their flights without having to go through immigration clearance.

The plan was unveiled by Chief Executive Carrie Lam in her Policy Address on Wednesday.

Lam said these so-called "land-to-air" transfer passengers can head to the boarding gates directly through the "intermodal transfer terminal" located within the restricted area of the airport after they park the cars at the Hong Kong Border Crossing Facilities.

Other visitors will still need to go through immigration checks at the border control point, she said.

As for Hong Kong vehicles, the chief executive said the government will press ahead with a scheme to allow eligible local cars to travel on the bridge, without any quota, after a tunnel that connects Tuen Mun and the airport opens next month. She said the government will discuss the plan with its Guangzhou counterpart.

Airport officials also hope to boost the connectivity between the airport, the artificial island and Tung Chung by building an automated transportation system.

A bridge equipped with the system will be built to connect a new airport mall called Skycity and the Hong Kong checkpoint for the mega bridge, with the system later extended to Tung Chung.

Skycity is still under construction and it's expected to be completed by 2027.

"This innovative idea of optimising the use of the land adjacent to the airport will not only provide more job opportunities and a better living environment for the expanding Tung Chung community, but also inject new development elements and economic impetus into the whole of North Lantau," the CE said.

Lam added that to consolidate Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub, Beijing has given the green light for the AA to inject equity in Zhuhai airport to achieve greater synergy with Chek Lap Kok.

The AA is expected to provide more details about the plan later.