By Veronica Uy
HONG KONG — Around 800 international aviation professionals from 60 airports and 100 companies on Tuesday attended the three-day Super Terminal Expo (STE) 2024 to discuss the future of Asia’s passenger and cargo terminal design, construction, and operations.
At the opening in AsiaWorld-Expo here, Vivian Cheung, Acting CEO of the Airport Authority of HK, said STE’s timing coincides with completion of the Three-Runway System (3RS) this month and the expansion of the autonomous region’s Airport City.
“Innovation is a cornerstone of our business and operations,” Cheung said, adding that the Hong Kong airport authority seeks to enhance travel experience of passengers, elevate cargo operations, and ensure sustainability by integrating smart technologies in their operations.
Cheung cited the combined use of smart phone and facial recognition, driverless vehicle, and smart screening technologies in improving speed and efficiency as well as the safety experience for passengers. She also said the airport authority’s cargo operations aim to become more paperless and transparent.
Michael Wong Wai-lun, Acting Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is adopting the 3RS to increase its passenger and cargo capacity to handle 120 million passengers and 10 million tons of cargo annually. He said these capacity increases are from 45 million passengers and 4.5 million tons of cargo.
Wang said that with this expansion expected to be finished by later this November, Hong Kong becomes a stronger aviation hub that “serve the region and beyond better” providing business and profit opportunities.
Paul Burton, managing director for Asia-Pacific of the Aviation Week Network and STE advisory board member, said the expo enables industry leaders and innovators to “come together, share insights, and collaborate on solutions that will shape the future of terminal operations.”
“As technology continues to weave intricate connections within our airports, the significance of uniting to address endless challenges and opportunities cannot be overstated,” Burton added.
Among the sessions are on hub strategies and Asia-Pacific challenges; harmonizing safety standards and airport systems; and elevating efficiency, innovations, and challenges in air cargo and terminal ground handling in Asia.
Michael Duck, EVP Commercial Development of event manager Informa Markets, said the conference will shape the airports of tomorrow. “The ideas we generate in these halls can shape the future of terminal operations and design, influence aviation policies, and improve the passenger and cargo handling experience worldwide,” he said.
Duck thus encouraged attendees to actively participate in the conference. “Dive into those interesting discussions. Seek out different perspectives. Be bold with your ideas and generous with your insights,” Duck he.
The vast exhibition space is full of activities. With the theme “Redefining Passenger and Cargo Handling Experience through Technological Innovation,” the expo also includes meetup sessions, networking luncheons, and the Super Terminal Expo Gala Dinner and Awards.
