Hong Kong to improve management of Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport

Jul. 3, 2009 (China Knowledge) - Hong Kong and Shanghai will strengthen cooperative ties through airport management, said Henry Tang, Hong Kong's chief secretary for administration, the Shanghai Daily reported.

Hong Kong will help Shanghai improve the management of Hongqiao Airport in one of two ways. Hong Kong may offer consultancy as it did in the case of Beijing Capital International Airport during the Olympics in 2008, or it may set up a joint venture, Tang said on Thursday.

However, Tang did not reveal more details.

The Chinese government has approved a RMB 15.3 billion plan to build a second runway, another cargo zone and a new terminal at Hongqiao Airport. The project is set to be completed before the Shanghai World Expo which will start on May 1, 2010 and will enable the airport to handle 40 million passengers per year by 2015.   

In 2008, Hongqiao Airport handled 22.87 million passengers, making it the fourth busiest airport in the country. It was the fifth busiest airport in terms of cargo throughput.