(6 Jul 1998) English/Nat
Hong Kong's new international airport is up and running, with its first commercial flights landing and taking off on Monday.
An overnight move saw everything transported from the old airport at Kai Tak to the new airport, Chek Lap Kok on Lantau Island.
The 20 (b) billion dollar state-of-the-art airport is built entirely on reclaimed land and is said to be one of the largest construction projects in the world.
Chek Lap Kok welcomed it's first commercial flight on Monday.
It was a non-stop polar flight by Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific airline which left New York and touched down at Chek Lap Kok 15-hours and 35-minutes later.
Passengers and Cathay staff were greeted by government officials who'd come out especially to meet the people arriving on the first commercial flight to land at the new airport.
Passengers reported no problems getting through immigration, and one of 14 carousels began churning out their luggage 20 minutes after the flight arrived.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I'm very privileged to come in on the first flight on my first visit to the new airport.
Question: Was it smooth, was the landing fine?
The landing was absolutely... probably the best landing I've ever had."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It's much better than flying into the old one, you don't have to hold onto your seat. This is good, this is good, except for the luggage."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop
While the passengers generally seem to be happy with the new airport, there are some who will miss the old airport at Kai Tak.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Pilots in Hong Kong have shed a few tears I can assure you but this is going to be the new super-hub of Asia and Cathay's Pacific's new home and we're all looking forward to that."
SUPER CAPTION: Mike Lowes, Cathay Pacific Pilot
While some passengers were arriving, others were getting ready to leave on the first flight out of the new airport.
Mads Svendsen was taking the new high speed train which shuttles passengers from the city out to the airport.
He was booked on the first flight out of Chek Lap Kok to Manila, and was impressed with the new terminal.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It's very, very big and it's a very modern structure. It's a bit like what you can see in Berlin. They have similar construction. It's very nice and very light even at this time of the day."
SUPER CAPTION: Mads Svendsen, Danish Businessman
The new airport is expected to handle 35 (m) million passengers in its first year and eventually it will handle 87 (m) million a year.
To cope with the continuous stream of flights taking off and landing, a second runway is to open later this year.
After Monday's first flight out to Manila, seven others followed within the first two hours of the new airport being opened.
The Chek Lap Kok terminal replaces Hong Kong's Kai Tak airport.
Famous for its roof-skimming approaches, Kai Tak saw its last planes take off and land late on Sunday, after 73 years of operation.
China's Dragon Air flight touched down just before midnight local time on Sunday (1547 GMT).
And just as there had to be a final arrival, there was a final departure.
That historic journey went to this Cathay Pacific jumbo jet - the
territory's official carrier.
And, perhaps fittingly, the flight's destination was Britain - Hong Kong's former colonial ruler.
It left for London at two minutes past midnight on Monday (1602GMT Sunday), bringing Kai Tak's history to a close.
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
5 сен 2024