Scheduled / Charter / Private Flight
Permission to Operate Scheduled Flights to and from Hong Kong
The Air Transport (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations (CAP 448A of the Laws of Hong Kong) require that scheduled air services to and from Hong Kong may be operated under and in accordance with the provisions of an operating permit granted by the Director-General of Civil Aviation or a licence granted by the Air Transport Licensing Authority. Details of the provisions in CAP 448A are available at the following link: https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap448A
- Operating Permit – applicable to services with foreign registered aircraft
The information and documents required for the application of an operating permit are listed in the Checklist of Required Documents for Application to Operate Scheduled Services
The application together with the required documents should be submitted via the online e-filing system for flight application .
An application for the operating permit must be submitted to the Director-General of Civil Aviation at least one month before the anticipated commencement date of the scheduled air services. Partially or incorrectly completed applications will incur delay in processing.
Details on application procedures for an operating permit are available in Chapter 3 of Section GEN 1.2 of Hong Kong AIP .
- Licence – applicable to services with Hong Kong registered aircraft
The Air Transport Licensing Authority is the authority to consider a licence application. The
information and documents required for the application of a licence are listed in the website of the
Transport and Logistics Bureau at the following link:
https://www.tlb.gov.hk/tc/boards/transport/air/atla.html
Permission to Operate Charter Flights to and from Hong Kong
The Air Transport (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations (CAP 448A of the Laws of Hong Kong) require that any person wishing to operate non-scheduled air services for hire or reward including charter flights to and from Hong Kong must obtain a permit from the Director-General of Civil Aviation. A person who operates charter flights without a permit, or without fully complying with the conditions of the permit, commits an offence and is liable to a fine and imprisonment.
Applications for the operation of charter flights for the carriage of passengers or cargo to or from Hong Kong will normally be approved if the Director-General of Civil Aviation is satisfied that the applicant has reasonably demonstrated that corresponding scheduled services cannot satisfy a genuine demand by providing the service or capacity required, that such non-scheduled services do not affect the development of scheduled services and, in the case of applications made by airlines based outside Hong Kong, that the aviation authorities of the country or place in which the airline is based would afford no less favorable treatment to a Hong Kong based airline making a similar application.
Applications for the operation of charter flights for the carriage of both passengers and cargo will not normally be considered.
The information and documents required for the application of a permit are listed in the Checklist of Required Documents for Application for Non-scheduled Air Services (Charter Services).
The application together with the required documents should be submitted via the online e-filing system for flight application.
The application must be submitted at least 3 working days before the anticipated arrival/departure date of the flight in Hong Kong. However, non-frequent or new operators should submit their applications at least 2 weeks prior to the date of operation to allow sufficient time for processing their applications. Partially or incorrectly completed applications will incur delay in processing.
Details on application procedures for non-scheduled air services are available in Chapter 4 of GEN 1.2 of Hong Kong AIP .
Clearance to Operate Private Non-revenue Flights to and from Hong Kong
Prior clearance from the Director-General of Civil Aviation is required for the operation of flights not operated for hire or reward, i.e. private non-revenue flights to and from Hong Kong. Applications should be submitted to the Director-General of Civil Aviation via the online e-filing system for flight application at least 3 working days before the anticipated arrival/departure date of the flight in Hong Kong. However, non-frequent or new operators should submit their applications at least 2 weeks prior to the date of operation to allow sufficient time for processing their applications. Partially or incorrectly completed applications will incur delay in processing.
The following information should be provided during the submission of a private-non-revenue flight application via the e-filing system:
- Type of aircraft;
- Nationality and registration marks of the aircraft;
- Name of operator;
- Name of ground handling agent in Hong Kong;
- Proposed dates and times of arrival and departure;
- Confirmation that the flight is not operated for hire or reward, i.e. there will be no fare-paying passengers or commercial cargo on board;
- Completed Declaration of Compliance with the Civil Aviation (Insurance) Order (CAP 448F) form (DCA 41);
- Insurance Certificate that insures the operator in respect of any liability which may be incurred by him/her in respect of Third Party, Passenger, Baggage, Cargo, and Mail for any one event to a Combined Single Limit required in accordance with the Civil Aviation (Insurance) Order; and
- Confirmation that the aircraft meets the requirements for the carriage of radio navigation aids as specified in Section GEN 1.5-1 para 3. of Hong Kong AIP .
- Any other relevant information (e.g. if any pets will be carried on board the aircraft).
Details on application procedures for a private-non-revenue flight application are available in Chapter 5 of Section GEN 1.2 of Hong Kong AIP .
