Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has signed an agreement with Zhuhai Transportation Holdings Group to invest around RMB4.3bn (US$5.9m) and acquire 35% of Zhuhai Airport’s shares.
The agreement is intended to promote further cooperation between Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and Zhuhai Airport, and the development of an airport cluster in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the region’s aviation industry. Meanwhile, Hong Kong-Zhuhai Airport Management Company, a subsidiary of AAHK, will extend its management rights for the operation and management of Zhuhai Airport until 2046.
Expanding Zhuhai Airport
AAHK has been collaborating with the Zhuhai Municipal Government on managing Zhuhai Airport since 2006, enhancing the airport’s operation efficiency, service quality and management standards. Zhuhai Airport’s passengers and cargo volumes have continued to grow. In 2023, the facility handled over 11 million passengers, ranking 35th among airports in the mainland and third in Guangdong, only behind Guangzhou Baiyun Airport and Shenzhen Bao’an Airport.
Under Zhuhai Airport’s expansion plan, Zhuhai Airport will be able to handle over 27 million passengers annually upon the opening of its new Terminal 2, targeted for 2025. HKIA has also collaborated with Zhuhai Airport on various projects, including the Fly-Via-Zhuhai-HK service, officially launched in December 2023. It provides passengers with seamless air-to-bridge-to-air transfer between HKIA and Zhuhai Airport. Passengers from other mainland cities can fly to Zhuhai Airport and then take a transfer coach via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (HZMB) directly to the SkyPier Terminal inside HKIA’s restricted area, from which they will proceed to the boarding gates for transfer to destinations worldwide. This service also enables passengers from the western part of the GBA to travel to HKIA’s restricted area via the HZMB, enhancing its connectivity with the GBA. Additionally, AAHK and Zhuhai Airport plan to develop a high-end aviation industrial park, with a view to boosting the development of the aviation industry in the GBA and enhancing the competitiveness of the region.
Signing ceremony
The agreement was signed by Vivian Cheung, acting CEO of AAHK, and Chen Weijia, chairman of Zhuhai Transportation Holdings Group, and witnessed by Huang Zhihao, mayor of the Zhuhai Municipal Government; Yang Chuan, member of the standing committee of the CPC Zhuhai Municipal Committee and deputy mayor of the Zhuhai Municipal Government; Huang Zhenqiu, deputy mayor of the Zhuhai Municipal Government; Huang Shengpeng, second-level inspector of the Policy Innovation Division of The Greater Bay Area Office of People’s Government of Guangdong; Lam Sai-hung, secretary for transport and logistics of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and Fred Lam, chairman of AAHK.
Lam said, “Thanks to the strong support of the Central Government and Guangdong Provincial Government, the Hong Kong and Zhuhai airports have been deepening our cooperation. With AAHK’s acquisition of shares in Zhuhai Airport, we will further capitalize on the strengths of the two airports by leveraging the convenience brought by the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge. This will not only bring more passenger and cargo traffic to Zhuhai Airport but also enable travelers from Zhuhai and other cities in the western part of the GBA to enjoy the global connectivity provided by HKIA’s extensive aviation network, achieving mutual benefits.”
In related news, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) recently expanded its Airport City development blueprint for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to integrate an ecosystem for the art industry, AsiaWorld-Expo Phase 2 development, a marina with ancillary facilities, a fresh food market and more. Click here to read the full story.