Hong Kong International Airport Hong Kong International Airport Hong Kong International Airport, popularly referred to as Chek Lap Kok Airport (赤鱲角機場 Pinyin: Chìliè Jiǎo, Red Perch Cape), is the international airport of Hong Kong. The airport was built on an artificial island reclaimed from Chek Lap Kok, one of the islands that make up the airport's 12.48 km² platform. It is connected to the northern side of Lantau Island at the new town of Tung Chung. It is the replacement for the old Hong Kong International Airport, popularly known as Kai Tak International Airport. The airport is operated by the Airport Authority Hong Kong, a statutory body wholly owned by the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It is the hub of Cathay Pacific (the flag carrier of Hong Kong), Air Hong Kong and Dragonair. Its IATA Airport Code is HKG, which is the same as what Kai Tak once had. The airport is the 3rd busiest passenger international airport, and the (1st) busiest cargo international airport. History Opened in 6 July 1998, it took six years and US $20 billion to build. The architects were Foster and Partners. For three to five months after its opening, it suffered various severe organizational, mechanical, and technical problems that almost crippled the airport. At one time, the government reopened the cargo terminal at Kai Tak Airport to handle freight traffic due to a breakdown at the new cargo terminal, named Super Terminal One (ST1). Luckily, things started to settle down after six months and the airport started to operate normally. On 22 August 1999, Mandarin Airlines Flight 642, which was landing in Tropical Storm Sam at Hong Kong International Airport on a route from Don Muang International Airport in Bangkok to Hong Kong, rolled upside down on the runway. The plane came to rest upside down. 3 of the passengers died. Hong Kong International Airport In 25 May 2002, China Airlines Flight 611 broke up in midflight on the way to Hong Kong International Airport from Chiang Kai Shek International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan. All of the passengers on board perished. Anomalities Hong Kong has its own immigration policies and is a separate customs territory from mainland China. Travellers between Hong Kong and mainland China need to go through immigration and customs checks. Flights between Hong Kong and mainland China are therefore treated as international flights. Such flights use international but not domestic airports in mainland China. Transportation, Rail The airport can be reached by the Airport Express, a dedicated high-speed rail link provided by MTR. It takes 23 minutes to reach the airport from Hong Kong Station which is located in Central, in the Central and Western district. Bus Terminus Long Win Bus: A31 - To Discovery Park, Tsuen Wan A33 - To Fu Tai, Tuen Mun A41 - To Yu Chui Court, Sha Tin A41P - To Yiu On, Ma On Shan, Sha Tin A43 - To Luen Wo Hui, North District E32 - Kwai Fong MTR Station to Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier E33 - To Tuen Mun Central E34 - To Tin Shui Wai Town Centre E41 - Tai Po Tau, Tai Po to Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier E42 - Pok Hong, Sha Tin N30 - Tung Chung to Yuen Long (East) N42 - Tung Chung to Yiu On S1 - Circular route to Tung Chung S64 - Circular route from Yat Tung, Tung Chung Citybus: A11 - To North Point Pier A12, P12 - To Siu Sai Wan (Island Resort) A21 - To Hung Hom Station A22 - To Lam Tin MTR Station E11 - Causeway Bay (Tin Hau) to Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier E21 - Island Harbour View (Tai Kok Tsui, Mong Kok) to Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier. E22 - Lam Tin (North) to Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier E22A - Po Lam, Tseung Kwan O to Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier E22P - Yau Tong to Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier E23 - To Choi Hung, Wong Tai Sin N11 - To Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) N21 - To Star Ferry (WHERE? TST or Edinburgh Place?) N23 - To Tsz Wan Shan (North), Wong Tai Sin N26 - Yau Tong to Tung Chung MTR Station N29 - Po Lam to Tung Chung MTR Station S1 - Circular route from Tung Chung S56 - Circular route from Tung Chung New Development Pier Discovery Bay Transit Services Limited: DB02R - To Discovery Bay (24 hours) New Lantao Bus: A35 - To Mui Wo Check-in Aisles Airline check-in at HKIA is divided into eight aisles as passengers enter the airport. Aisle A Cathay Pacific Aisle B Cathay Pacific Aisle C Air Mauritius Cathay Pacific Royal Brunei Vietnam Airlines Aisle D Biman Bangladesh China Airlines Malaysia Airlines Mandarin Airlines President Airlines Royal Nepal Singapore Airlines South African Airways Swiss International Airlines Aisle E Aeroflot All Nippon Airways Korean Air Lufthansa Malaysia Airlines Singapore Airlines Thai Airways International Aisle F Dragonair EVA Airways Mekong Airlines Philippine Airlines Virgin Atlantic Aisle G Air Canada Air New Zealand Air Philippines Ethiopian Airlines Finnair Japan Airlines Japan Asia Airways Orient Thai Airlines United Airlines Aisle H Air France Air India Asiana Cebu Pacific China Eastern Airlines El Al Emirates Garuda Indonesia KLM Northwest Airlines Pacific Airlines Pakistan International Airlines Turkish Airlines Aisle J Air China Australian Airlines British Airways China Southern Airlines Continental Airlines Continental Micronesia Emirates Gulf Air Qantas SriLankan Xiamen Airlines See also Hong Kong Government Flying Service, which operates from the airport, providing search and rescue services to Hong Kong and the South China Sea Transportation in Hong Kong List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong External link http://www.hongkongairport.com/ FAVORITE ARTICLES: History of the World    History of the United States    History of Europe    Ancient History    History    Military History    World War I    Bombing of Dresden    California    US Constitution    Frank Sinatra    Boston    Marbury v. 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