An evaluation of the leading role of Hong Kong International Airport as a regional aviation hub among Greater Pearl River Delta airports

Abstract

Recently ranked Skytrax 5-Star Airport, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is well known for its extensive airline networks and quality supporting services. This paper is to evaluate the performance of HKIA as a leading regional aviation hub when encountering the keen competition of four other major airports in Greater Pearl River Delta (GPRD) region; all of which are within a radial distance of 100km of one another. An in-depth comparative analysis for the five GPRD airports is carried out with the application of the Aviation Hub Model and the Airport Competitiveness Index. Together with the review of the development of hub-and-spoke operation strategies, the worldwide air freedom liberalization as well as the national and regional policies, the study highlights the implications and significance drawn from the analysis upon the HKIA and four other GPRD airports. A series of feasible recommendations will be provided on the future development of their positioning and functions.