Hong Kong to boost direct flights, transfer capacity amid Middle East turmoil

Hong Kong authorities are coordinating with local airlines to increase direct flight and transfer capacity, turning the challenges posed by the US-Israel war on Iran into opportunities, the transport minister has said.Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also said the ongoing Middle East turmoil had deeply disrupted global trade and aviation networks, underscoring the need for Hong Kong to reduce reliance on traditional oil by expanding supply sources.“We can increase our capacity in some direct flights to Europe and the United States, or we can increase our capacity in Hong Kong to provide transfer services,” she said.“We will seize the opportunity presented by the war in the Middle East to do a good job.”The impending completion of the three-runway system and the opening of a redeveloped second passenger terminal building at the airport in May would help boost the airport’s capacity to grasp the opportunities arising from the conflicts, Chan said.As local airlines had raised fuel surcharges by up to double amid soaring global oil prices, the government mandated that operators clearly list these charges on their websites and tickets to ensure price transparency, she added.