Hong Kong Airport
| Continent: Asia | Country: China |
| Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport |
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| Location | Hong Kong, China |
| IATA code | HKG |
| ICAO code | VHHH |
| Airport type | Commercial |
| Website | http://www.hkairport.com |
| Overview map | [ ] |
| Communications | |
| Tower | |
| Ground | |
| Clearance | |
| Approach | |
| ATIS | |
Official Spotting Location
Point 1. Skydeck above Terminal 2
This is deemed the 'official' spotting point at HKIA. It is located just about a few hundred meters south of the RWY 25R landing path, and the deck itself is on top of a building which is about 30 - 40 meters high. Planes landing on both RWY 25R and RWY 25L can be viewed from here, as can some apron movements. There is no fence or glass in front of you and it is just simply a 'building roof' overlooking the airport. Note that the viewing area has no roof-top and also no facilities; for instance toilet, food kiosk or vending machine. Visitors need to go downstairs back to Terminal 2 for drinks, snacks, toilet, etc.
Access and Transport
Start in HKIA terminal 2. With your back facing the drop off area, there is an escalator on the far left end (near check-in aisle N). Take the escalator up 1 level to the 6th floor. You will see the entrance of Aviation Discovery Centre with some artificial runway painting on the wall, etc. Tickets to the skydeck are sold at the counter, ask the ticketing staff for further directions to skydeck.
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday: 1045 (approx.) - 2145 local time Saturday / Sunday / public holiday: 1000 (approx.) - 2145 local time
Not open when thunderstorm warning is up.
Entrance fee: HKD 15.00 (ticket to be bought at entrance of the Aviation Discovery Centre on the upper level of Terminal 2)
Photo opportunity during RWY 25 direction
Planes landing on RWY 25R (majority of the landing movements):
Always high (around 100mm lens for a B777-200 whole body). However, it is only good during morning especially summer time as that would be backlit staring from 2pm onwards. Sample pics for RWY 25R landing viewing from skydeck:
- JetPhotos.net sample photo: large
Planes landing on RWY 25L (some private jets / cargo movements):
As the viewing deck is situated between RWY 25R and 25L landing paths, planes approaching RWY 25L can also be photographed. You would need a longer lens for that( around 200mm for a B777-200 whole body and more for private jets). However, it is only good during afternoon especially in summer time. Sample pics for RWY 25L landing viewing from skydeck:
- JetPhotos.net sample photo: large
Planes lining up near RWY 25L (all of the take-off movements):
Difficult, as that is distinct from view and with many ground obstructions.
Planes lining up near RWY 25R (During RWY 25L is closed for overnight maintenance):
Possible. But RWY 25L maintenance closure would be finished by approx. 0830 local time, which is before the opening time of the skydeck.
Photo opportunity during RWY 07 direction
Planes rotating from RWY 07R (all of the take-off movements):
Possible. But limited to those long-haul heavies and planes with high loading.
- JetPhotos.net sample photo: large
Planes rotating from RWY 07L (During RWY 07R is closed for overnight maintenance):
Possible, but limited to those long-haul heavies and planes with high loading. RWY 07L maintenance closure would be finished by approx. 0830 local time, which is before the opening time of the skydeck.
Point 2. Airport Maintanence Area
This is not only a spotting point, in fact many local photographers gather here in weekends for relaxing also taking landscape / portrait pictures. Especially in a weekend afternoon during summer, many locals come to this area with their family cars parked along the road and enjoying themselves under summer sun.
It is actually located in the west end of the airport island, between north and south runway (07L and 07R). In here, you can view landing aircrafts on both north and south runway if 07 direction is in use. You can also have some good photo opportunities for runway 25L takeoff if 25 direction is in use.
Access and Transport
Local bus service: Start at Tung Chung MTR Station. There is a bus service, S52, running between the bus terminus near Tung Chung MTR Station and Airport Maintenance Area. Service frequency is around 20 mins. Once you arrive at the terminus point in Airport Maintenance Area (beside HAECO building), you should know where to go by your sense. Bus service runs from early morning till dark.
Taxi: From airport terminal or Tung Chung MTR Station to Airport Maintenance Area, around HKD 50 - 60 per trip. That should work if you tell the driver you want to go HAECO or Airport Maintenance Area. Of course, showing the place on a map is always helpful. However, that is a problem for any return journey from Airport Maintenance Area by taxi as there will not be any waiting taxi there. Come back by bus is always the choice then.
Opening Hours
24 hrs a day, 7 days a week!
Not suggest to go there during thunderstorm, but highly recommended in a sunny weekend afternoon with some mild sea breeze
Entrance fee: Always, free
Photo opportunity during RWY 25 direction
Planes taking off from RWY 25L (majority of the takeoff movements):
High (around 100mm lens for a MD-11F whole body). However, it is only good during afternoon time as that would be backlit in morning. Also it is only possible to spot heavies and planes with high loadings which rotate late. Sample pics for RWY 25L taking off:
- JetPhotos.net sample photo: large
- JetPhotos.net sample photo: large
- JetPhotos.net sample photo: large
Photo opportunity during RWY 07 direction
Planes approaching on RWY 07R (some of the cargo and biz movements):
Possible (around 100mm lens for a 777F whole body). But you have to pick a right spot for taking pictures, otherwise the angle would be too narrow. Only good during afternoon.
- JetPhotos.net sample photo: large
Planes approaching on RWY 07L (majority of the landing movements):
High (around 250mm lens for a 777-300 whole body), but only under a clear weather. Good photo opportunity during morning.
- JetPhotos.net sample photo: large
Other Spotting Locations
South Side Drop-off Area
Access and Transport - Airport Express or MTR to Tung Chung, then change to bus S1 to the Airport terminal building. There are actually two bus stops near the terminal, one just before (which is next to Carpark 2) and one directly under the terminal. The bus stop under the terminal is closer for this spot. To return to Tung Chung, take the bus from the same bus stop (it’s a circular route).
Type of action - 25R arrivals & 25L cargo arrivals (in the distance)
Pros - comfortable, lots of shade, 25R arrivals are frequent, easy access to Airport washrooms, shops and restaurants
Cons - lamp posts get in the way, not particularly close to the planes, cannot see any departures
Near GFS - can see departures of south rwy.
Locations to Avoid
Location
Regular Traffic
Pax A/C
Cathay Pacific all fleets (A330-300, A340-300, B777-200/300/300ER, B747-400)
Dragonair all fleets (A320/A321/A330-300)
China Airlines (B737-800 / A330-300 / A340-300 (occasionally) / B747-400)
China Southern (B737-300/ -800 / A320 / A321 / MD-90 (occasionally) / ERJ-145 (occasionally))
China Eastern (B737-300 / -700 / -800 / A319 / A320 / A321 / A330 (occasionally))
Hong Kong Airlines / Hong Kong Express (B737-800 / A330-200)
Air China (B737-300 / -700 / -800 / A319 / A321 / A330-200 / B777-200ER)
Eva Air (A330-200 / B747-400Combi / B777-300ER (occasionally))
Air Macau (A321, ops for air china)
Air Canada (B777-200LR, B777-300ER)
Air India (B777-200LR, A310 (phasing out soon))
Air Mauritius (A330-200)
Air Niugini (B757-200)
Air Pacific (B767-300ER)
Airasia (A320 *both from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia subsidiary bases)
Biman Bangladesh (DC-10)
Cebu Pacific Air (A319 / A320)
Delta airlines (A330-200 / B747-400 / B777-200LR)
Ethiopian Airlines (B767-300ER)
Emirates (B777-300 / -300ER / A380-800)
Finnair (A340-300)
Garuda Indonesia (B737-800 / A330-300)
Kenya Airways (B767-300ER)
Kingfisher (A330-200)
Korean Air (B737-800 / -900ER / A330-300 / B777-300 / B747-400Combi)
Malaysia Airlines (B737-400 / A330-300 / B777-200ER)
Mandarin Airlines (ERJ-190)
Nepal Airlines (B757-200 (9N-ACA), B757-200Convertable (9N-ACB))
Orient Thai (B747-300 / occasionally B747-100B (SR/SUD))
Qantas Airways (A330-200 /-300 / B747-400 / -400ER)
Royal Brunei Airlines (A319 / A320 / B767-300ER)
Royal Jordanian (A330-200)
Saudi Arabian (B747-300 / -400)
Shanghai Airlines (B737-800 / B767-300 / -300ER)
Shenzhen Airlines (A319)
Singapore Airlines (B777-200ER / B777-300 / -300ER / A380-800)
Thai Airways (A330-300 / B777-200 / -200ER / -300 / B747-400)
Vietnam Airlines (A321)
Xiamen Airlines (B737-700 / -800 / B757-200)
Cargo A/C
Daytime
Cathay Pacific Cargo (74F / 747-800F(coming soon))
Airbridge Cargo Airlines (74F)
UPS (74F, MD-11F)
Atlas Air (74F)
AeroLogic (B777-200LRF)
Emirates Skycargo (B777-200LRF, 74F)
Hong Kong Airlines cargo (73F, A330-200F (starting Oct 2010))
All Nippon airways (76F)
Lufthansa Cargo (MD-11F)
Kalitta Air (74F)
China Cargo Airlines (A300-600PtF *(China Eastern livery), MD-11F)
Federal Express (MD-11F, A310F)
Donghai Airlines (B73F)
Cargolux (74F)
Cargolux Italia (74F)
Martinair / KLM Cargo (74F)
TNT Airways (74F)
Korean Air (74F)
Singapore Airlines Cargo (74F)
Deccan Cargo & Express (A310F)
Polar Air Cargo (74F)
Malaysia Airlines (74F)
Nippon Cargo Airlines (74F)
Qatar Airways Cargo (B777-200LRF)
Shanghai Airlines Cargo (MD-11F / 75F)
Southern Air (74F / 742F *some ops for Ethiopian Airlines Cargo)
Afterdark / non-frequent services
Aeroflot (MD-11F)
Eva Air Cargo (74F, MD-11F)
China Airlines Cargo (74F)
Saudi Arabian (74F / MD-11F)
Southern Air / Thai Cargo (B777-200LRF)
Polet (IL-96-400T)
D.E.T.A. Air JSC (DC-10F)
Jett8 Airlines Cargo (74F)
Asiana Airlines (74F / 76F)
Finnair Cargo (MD-11BCF)
Jade Cargo Int'l Co. Ltd (74F)
Air Hong Kong / DHL (A300-600F)
Transmile Air Services (72F)
DHL (76F)
Yangtze River Express (73F)
Facilities and Transportation
Ground Transportation to / from downtown Hong Kong
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is one of the airports in the world that has an extremely high public transport usage, with more than 90% of airport trips are made by public transportation. Thanks to the efficient public transport network in Hong Kong, passengers and workers can easily reach the airport from nearly any place in Hong Kong by bus 7 days a week. There are also plenty of overnight bus services linking several major towns and the airport. Additionally, the Airport Express Line (AEL) links downtown Hong Kong (Central) and the West Kowloon area with frequent train service.
Facilities at HKIA
Terminal 1
Terminal 1 is the main terminal at HKIA, with direct linkage to the airside. A majority of the airlines' check-in facilities are located in this terminal, and both the departure and arrival hall provide shops, cafes, restaurants from budget to high end, post office kiosk, bank ATM, etc.
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 is a new terminal which was opened in June 2007, and is located just East of Terminal 1. Since all the airside facilities of HKIA is located on the West side of the airport island, there is no direct linkage of Terminal 2 and the airside beside an automatic-people-mover (APM) system. Passengers who finish the check-in process in Terminal 2 can have the immigration and security checks completed underneath Terminal 2, and then take the APM back to Terminal 1 (airside) and continue to the gates. Note that all passengers arrive at Terminal 1. Terminal 2 contains more of an entertainment atmosphere, with a higher proportion of shops and entertainment vs. air-related facilities.