The Air Services and Safety Management Division (ASMD) is responsible for monitoring the operations of airlines in compliance with bilateral air services arrangements; providing information to relevant authorities regarding air transport licence applications by local airlines and for air services negotiations; providing schedule co-ordination and slot allocation services to airlines and other aircraft operators; developing and implementing noise mitigating measures; setting out and implementing safety policy to promote and enhance safety of the aviation system; and regulating Hong Kong air navigation services. The ASMD is also responsible for handling civil aviation legislative matters; regulating the operations of small unmanned aircraft in Hong Kong; furnishing air traffic statistics to international organisations; and coordinating the formulation of departmental training policy for departmental professional grade staff.
In the year of 2022-23, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to affect the aviation industry while there was sign of recovery in the air passenger services sector after the relaxation of travel restrictions in Hong Kong in late 2022. During the year, there was 12.36 million of passenger throughput which represented an increase of 773% when compared with previous year. This also accounted for about 17% of the pre-pandemic passenger level, and the figure further rose to 43% in March 2023. On the cargo side, the worldwide demand softened along with global economic uncertainties and other factors, and the throughput dropped by 16% year on year to 4.11 million tonnes. Aircraft movements experienced a year-on-year increase of 12%, with 161 180 movements recorded in the year, reaching 38% of the pre-pandemic level. In March 2023, 20 133 aircraft movements were recorded, which was about 55% of the pre-pandemic level. During the year, 122 airlines operated direct services to and from Hong Kong, covering 153 cities/airports.
Recognising that the air services sector is yet to be fully recovered from the pandemic, the ASMD has continued to take a proactive approach in supporting the industry's operations, especially expediting the process of flight applications from airlines. During the year, the ASMD handled and approved applications for about 13 000 extra sections and charter all-cargo flights. To consolidate Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub, the ASMD is working closely with the industry in tackling the challenges ahead.
Services by local carriers as at the end of March 2023 were outlined in the ensuing paragraphs.
Cathay Pacific Airways Limited operated direct services to 76 destinations worldwide, including new destinations to Nanjing, Wenzhou and Xi'an.
AHK Air Hong Kong Limited operated direct all-cargo services to 14 destinations in Asia.
Hong Kong Airlines Limited operated direct services to 15 destinations.
Hong Kong Express Airways Limited operated direct passenger services to 16 destinations.
Hong Kong Air Cargo Carrier Limited operated direct all-cargo services to 14 destinations, adding Sydney to its network.
Greater Bay Airlines Company Limited, a new local airline, started direct passenger services to four destinations including Bangkok, Seoul, Tokyo and Taipei.
Heliservices (Hong Kong) Limited continued to operate local passenger charters and aerial work services.
The services of Sky Shuttle Helicopters Limited, which had been put on hold due to the suspension of passenger clearance services at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal between February 2020 and January 2023, was approved to resume its non-scheduled passenger services between Hong Kong and Macau.
Seven non-Hong Kong airlines launched new scheduled passenger services to Hong Kong during the year. They include Zhejiang Loong Airlines for services from Hangzhou in June 2022; Bamboo Airways for services from Da Nang in October 2022; Hainan Airlines for services from Haikou in November 2022; Beijing Capital Airlines for services from Qingdao in December 2022; Hebei Airlines and Lucky Air for services from Guiyang and Kunming respectively in January 2023; and Jiangxi Air for services from Nanchang in February 2023.
For scheduled all-cargo services, five non-Hong Kong operators commenced new services to Hong Kong. They include Evelop Airlines and DHL Air commenced services from Madrid and Nottingham respectively in May 2022; CMA CGM Air Cargo operated services from Paris in September 2022; and European Air Transport Leipzig and Salam Air launched services from Leipzig and Muscat respectively in November 2022.
On the other hand, seven airlines suspended their scheduled services to and from Hong Kong – Biman Bangladesh Airlines in April 2022, Aerovias de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. in May 2022, FITS Aviation in June 2022, Suparna Airlines and Cambodia Airways in July 2022, West Air in January and Urumqi Air in March 2023.
During the year, the CAD issued 137 operating permits to airlines for operation of scheduled services to and from Hong Kong, and processed around 10 600 applications for changes to the schedules. A total of 2 596 permits were also issued for the operation of charter services to, from and in Hong Kong.
During the year, the CAD processed 402 tariff filings for carriage of passengers and cargo on scheduled services to and from Hong Kong.
Besides, the time-limited arrangement to allow airlines to levy cargo fuel surcharge based on the current cargo fuel surcharge mechanism of the CAD for flights originating from Hong Kong is in effect and will continue until 30 June 2024.
In accordance with the Air Transport (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations (Chapter 448A), any person intending to use Hong Kong-registered aircraft to operate scheduled services to carry passengers, mail or cargo must apply to the Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) for a licence for such operations.
During the year, the CAD provided the ATLA with air services-related information and statistics with regard to five applications for renewal of licence.
In accordance with the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines (WASG), the Hong Kong Schedule Coordination Office of the CAD managed slot allocation in a fair, neutral and transparent manner, with a view to ensuring the efficient utilisation of existing airport infrastructure.
During the year, the amount of slot requests at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) were still subject to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. After coordination, a total of 162 701 slots were allocated to airlines and other operators at the HKIA. This represented an increase of 10.5% when compared with the previous year, which accounts for 42.5% of the slots allocated prior to the pandemic.
According to the WASG, airlines are usually entitled to retain a series of slots for the next equivalent season if their flights were operated at least 80% of the slots allocated.
To relieve the pandemic pressures placed upon the aviation industry, the CAD informed airlines in August 2022 that the dispensation of the 80% utilisation rule from August 2019 would be further extended to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Winter Season 2022. All scheduled flights cancelled in accordance with the waiver conditions would be deemed as operated when they are considered for historic entitlement for the next equivalent IATA Season. Towards the end of 2022, the aviation industry was gradually recovering from the COVID 19 pandemic. With a view to providing the stakeholders with greater flexibility in resource management and facilitating the resumption of air traffic at the HKIA in an orderly manner, the CAD has fine-tuned the waiver conditions for the IATA Summer Season 2023, so that the slot usage requirement during the season would be lowered to 60%, instead of being maintained at 80% as required in the WASG.
The CAD is conscious of the noise impact that aircraft operations may have on local community and has implemented a number of noise mitigating measures based on the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The CAD has been monitoring the implementation of various noise mitigating measures and aircraft noise situations in various districts through the computerised Aircraft Noise and Flight Track Monitoring System (ANFTMS). The ANFTMS comprises of multiple outdoor noise monitoring terminals (NMTs) which are installed at strategic locations in Hong Kong to monitor and record noise data for aircraft operating into and out of the HKIA, and a computer system which correlates noise data collected with the actual aircraft flight tracks detected by the CAD's radar system. In view of the commencement of operation of the North Runway since July 2022, the CAD has expanded the ANFTMS through the installation of additional NMTs at representative locations close to the flight paths of the North Runway.
Apart from the aircraft noise abatement operational procedures, the CAD has prohibited aircraft not meeting the relevant aircraft noise standards from landing and taking off in Hong Kong since 2002. To further alleviate aircraft noise disturbance to local communities, starting from the end of March 2019, aircraft that do not comply with the noise standards stipulated in Volume I, Part II, Chapter 4 of Annex 16 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, or equivalent, are not allowed to operate at the HKIA between 10 pm and 7 am the following day. The CAD will review this arrangement from time to time and closely monitor the latest developments of ICAO, the international aviation industry and the operation of the HKIA in considering the need to step up the relevant requirement.
During the year, the CAD handled 655 aircraft noise complaints. Detailed investigation was carried out for every single case and the results would be explained to the complainants. In an effort to enhance the understanding of the noise mitigating measures and noise monitoring work by the local community, the CAD maintained close liaison with the District Councils.
To maintain the status of Hong Kong as a centre of international and regional civil aviation in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law, and to facilitate the discharge of Hong Kong's responsibilities under the regional air navigation procedures of ICAO, the CAD continued to participate actively in ICAO's activities including meetings, symposiums, seminars, etc. During the year, the CAD representatives attended four ICAO meetings which were limited to states as part of the delegation of the People's Republic of China, and 34 ICAO meetings which were not so limited, using the name "Hong Kong, China". Details of these 38 meetings are provided in the Appendix. The CAD also exchanged 374 letters with ICAO, the majority of which involved comments and information on technical matters related to civil aviation.
The CAD has consistently supported aviation related activities and initiatives of APEC using the name "Hong Kong, China". During the year, the CAD handled 28 requests relating to APEC, which involved provision of comments and information on technical matters related to civil aviation.
To seize the immense potential of SUA application while safeguarding aviation and public safety, the Government introduced a subsidiary legislation, the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order (SUA Order), under the Civil Aviation Ordinance (Cap. 448), as a forward-looking regulatory regime for SUA. Under the new law that commenced on 1 June 2022, SUA operations are regulated under a risk-based approach and classified according to the weight of the SUA and the operational risk level. Operations of different risk levels are subject to the corresponding regulatory requirements, including registration and labelling of SUA, registration of remote pilots, training and assessment, equipment, operating requirements and insurance, etc. The provisions allowed a six-month grace period, which ended on 30 November 2022, for the public to familiarise themselves with the new requirements and prepare for compliance.
To facilitate implementation, the CAD officially launched the "Electronic Portal for Small Unmanned Aircraft (eSUA)" in May 2022, which is available on both mobile application and web portal. The public may take advantage of the user friendly platform to register, make applications and access safety information, including the Drone Map for restricted flying zones in force, safety requirements document and guidance materials, and receive notifications of latest safety updates. Meanwhile, the CAD has kept up its publicity and educational efforts through various means, including publishing safety information and guidelines on the CAD's website, distributing safety leaflets, broadcasting safety messages through television and radio stations, conducting joint publicity events with Police, and communicating regularly with SUA / model aircraft associations and manufacturers, so as to raise the safety awareness of the relevant sectors and organisations, as well as the general public, about the SUA operations.
As at 31 March 2023, the CAD handled more than 18 000 remote pilot registration applications and more than 22 000 SUA registration applications. The Director-General of Civil Aviation had issued 57 Advanced Operations Permissions to SUA operators. Over 1 600 students completed training under the SUA Advanced Training Organisation Scheme, in preparation for obtaining Advanced Ratings for conducting higher-risk SUA operations.
The Strategic Safety Office is responsible for coordinating the implementation of safety management initiatives and requirements, including activities relating to the State Safety Programme (SSP) and Continuous Monitoring Approach (CMA) for the CAD, and promoting the effective implementation of safety management principles.
Under the CMA adopted by ICAO, all states and administrations are required to provide relevant information for ICAO's continuous assessment of the safety oversight capability of concerned authorities in order to ensure global aviation safety.
During the year, the CAD sustained its efforts to proactively implement the CMA activities through a coordinated approach with stakeholders, which included formulation of action plans and associated tasks, provision of updated information to ICAO and regular review of the CMA documentation.
During the year, the CAD continued to implement the SSP according to the Hong Kong Aviation Safety Programme, which was reviewed and updated with reference to the latest ICAO's requirements and guidance on safety management.
With the publication of its Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) 2023-2025 edition, the ICAO presented an enhanced global roadmap for the continuous improvement of aviation safety. In support of the implementation of the GASP, the CAD joined ICAO's ad-hoc working group for the development of the Asia Pacific Regional Aviation Safety Plan 2023-2025 edition, charting the strategies to strengthen safety oversight and reduce safety risks in the region.
The Director-General of Civil Aviation was elected as the Chairperson of the Regional Aviation Safety Group – Asia Pacific (RASG-APAC) of ICAO for a three-year term on 17 December 2020. With a current membership of 41 APAC states/administrations, the RASG-APAC aims to develop and implement a regional performance framework for the management of aviation safety and serves as a regional platform to promote safety initiatives. During the year, the CAD continued to support the RASG on various regional safety strategies, including the promotion of aviation safety with regional partners and exchange of the SSP implementation experience. The RASG APAC also focused on formulating facilitation arrangements for the industry and devising measures to support a safe and smooth air transport recovery from the pandemic.
The CAD will continue to periodically review and refine our existing safety oversight system and implement the related global aviation safety strategies and safety management provisions with a view to continually enhancing our safety regulation.
The ATMSO is responsible for ensuring that a high standard of safety in the provision of air navigation services in Hong Kong is established, achieved and maintained.
The ATMSO conducted regular audits and safety inspections on the Air Traffic Management Division (ATMD) and Air Traffic Engineering Services Division. During the year, a total of 28 audits and safety inspections were conducted.
The safety inspections covered operations, procedures, training and examinations in air traffic management and communication, navigation and surveillance activities; implementation of Safety Management System (SMS); air traffic control (ATC) equipment/systems; safety occurrences investigations; maintenance arrangement; internal audits and follow-up actions arising from safety recommendations.
As part of its duties, the ATMSO participated in the preliminary investigations of all ATC incidents jointly with the ATMD investigators to determine the category and severity of the incident. A decision would then be made as to the form of investigation to be conducted in accordance with the established provisions. During the year, the ATMSO conducted safety review of ATC incidents.
Through the Air Navigation Services Standards Coordination Meeting and the Air Traffic Safety Assessment Committee, the ATMSO also regularly reviewed issues pertinent to safety occurrences, implementation of the SMS and safe air navigation service provision in collaboration with air navigation service provider and the safety personnel of other stakeholders including Flight Standards and Airworthiness Division, major local airline operators and the Government Flying Service to promote continual development and improvement.
The ATMSO reviews and updates existing regulatory documents periodically to ensure that they remain accurate, valid and up-to-date. In the year, the ATMSO had promulgated two Air Navigation Services Information Notices.
In accordance with the standards in Annex 1 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and the requirements of Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995, the ATMSO processed 109 initial awards of ATC Licences, ATC Ratings and Certificates, as well as 241 renewals of Ratings and Certificates.
For safety promotion, the ATMSO conducted periodic briefings on safety culture and the SMS as well as issuing safety promotion information to air navigation service providers and staff of maintenance service providers to reinforce safety oversight and safety management concepts. In addition, the ATMSO regularly published regulatory information and safety management materials on the intranet for convenient access by all air navigation services staff.
The ASMD provided support in formulating the departmental training policy and making recommendations on the endorsement of the departmental training programme. Through regular liaisons with divisional training coordinators, the ASMD also helped organise department-wide training events.
To further foster a continuous learning culture in the CAD, the ASMD organised knowledge management activities such as talks on latest aviation developments or trends and visits to major stakeholders.
The Aviation Education Path (AEP) continued to serve as a valuable gateway for the CAD to enhance the public understanding of the functions and responsibilities of various divisions of the CAD, the historical developments of civil aviation in Hong Kong, the ongoing construction of the Three-runway System and the importance of aviation safety.
The AEP was opened for public visit during the year. With the subsiding epidemic situation and progressive relaxation of social distancing measures, guided group tours resumed from 1 September 2022. In the year, the AEP received around 2 500 visitors, with the majority being local students participating in the guided group tours.