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The Scheme of Airport Charges proposed by the Airport Authority will be gazetted on October 7 and come into force on January 1 next year.
A spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau said today (October 4), "The Scheme aims to extend the existing New Destination Incentive Arrangement until December 31, 2012, to encourage airlines to continue to launch new routes. It also takes the opportunity to align parking charges for business aviation.
"The extended Arrangement will encourage airlines to introduce new routes that will further enhance the connectivity of Hong Kong. This will in turn benefit our civil aviation and tourism industries and will strengthen our position as an international hub in the region."
The Board of Airline Representatives in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre have been consulted and they both support the Scheme.
The existing Arrangement will expire on December 31, 2011. Under the extended Arrangement, the Authority will continue to offer airlines a 75 per cent rebate on landing charges for flights between Hong Kong and a new destination for the first six months after the route is launched, and a 25 per cent rebate for the next six months.
Ends/Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:31
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