Hong Kong Expands Aviation Infrastructure and Flight Networks
香港擴展航空基礎設施與航班網絡
Introduction
Hong Kong is using a comprehensive strategy to increase its aviation capacity by upgrading infrastructure and creating new flight routes into Central Asia.
香港正透過升級基礎設施並開闢前往中亞的新航線，採取全面策略以增加航空運能。
Main Body
The government is currently focusing on diversifying transport routes to reduce risks. Airport Authority Chairman Fred Lam emphasized that starting direct flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, early next year will help protect against supply chain problems in the Middle East, where 13 percent of European cargo currently passes. This move follows recent diplomatic agreements made by Chief Executive John Lee in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
政府目前專注於多元化運輸路線以降低風險。機場管理局主席林方遠強調，明年年初開通往哈薩克阿拉木圖的直航，將有助於防止中東地區出現的供應鏈問題，因為目前有 13% 的歐洲貨運經過該地。此舉是繼行政長官李家超近期在哈薩克與烏茲別克達成外交協議後採取的。
At the same time, the Hong Kong International Airport is increasing its operational capacity. The airport handled 61 million passengers last year, and with a 13 percent growth rate in the first four months of this year, it expects a total of 70 million passengers. To handle this increase, the Terminal 2 departure facility has opened, and the 11 Skies Mall is expected to be finished by 2028. Furthermore, the administration wants to make border crossings easier for passengers from the Greater Bay Area to encourage more tourism.
與此同時，香港國際機場正增加其運作能力。機場去年處理了 6,100 萬名乘客，且今年前四個月增長率為 13%，預計總客運量將達到 7,000 萬人次。為了應對這一增長，第二航廈的離境設施已啟用，而 11 Skies 商場預計將於 2028 年完工。此外，政府希望簡化大灣區乘客的過境程序，以鼓勵更多旅遊消費。
Regarding corporate growth, Cathay Pacific is updating its fleet to make the most of the airport's third runway. CEO Ronald Lam stated that the company plans to buy more widebody, narrowbody, and cargo aircraft over the next ten years. Although fuel costs have risen due to conflict in Iran, the airline still expects its capacity to grow by 10 percent this year. Additionally, the subsidiary HK Express will continue to use only Airbus aircraft for its fleet.
在企業增長方面，國泰航空正更新其機隊，以充分利用機場的第三跑道。執行長陳朗表示，公司計劃在未來十年內購買更多寬體機、窄體機及貨機。儘管因伊朗衝突導致燃料成本上升，該航空公司仍預計今年運能將增長 10%。此外，子公司香港快運將繼續在機隊中僅使用空中巴士飛機。
Conclusion
Hong Kong is growing its fleet and infrastructure while diversifying its routes to ensure the aviation hub remains strong in the long term.
香港在擴展機隊與基礎設施的同時，亦多元化航線，以確保航空樞紐在長期內保持強大。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 From Simple to Sophisticated: The Power of 'Diversifying'
An A2 student usually says: "Hong Kong is making new routes so they have more choices."
To reach B2, you need words that describe processes. In this text, the word "diversifying" is the gold mine.
What does it actually mean? It doesn't just mean "adding." It means spreading your resources or activities so that you are not dependent on just one thing. If you put all your eggs in one basket and the basket drops, you lose everything. Diversifying is the act of using many different baskets.
🛠️ The 'B2 Upgrade' Pattern
Look at how the text moves from basic ideas to professional expressions. Try to replace your "A2 verbs" with these "B2 functional verbs":
| A2 Way (Simple) | B2 Way (Professional) | Context from Article |
|---|---|---|
| To make better | To upgrade | Upgrading infrastructure |
| To use the best of | To make the most of | Make the most of the third runway |
| To make easier | To facilitate/encourage | Encourage more tourism |
💡 Pro Tip: The Logic of "Although"
Notice this sentence: "Although fuel costs have risen... the airline still expects its capacity to grow."
The B2 Secret: Stop using "But" at the start of every sentence. Use "Although [Bad Thing], [Good Thing]". This shows the reader that you can handle complex, contrasting ideas in one single thought.
- A2: Fuel costs are high. But the company is growing.
- B2: Although fuel costs are high, the company is growing.