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n 1998, a gleaming new Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) opened on the newly manmade island of Chek Lap Kok – an answer to the increasing congestion suffered at Kai Tak, with its single runway and cramped terminal facilities.

Fast-forward almost 20 years, and HKIA has become the eighth busiest airport in the world according to the Airports Council International, with a record 70.5 million passengers in 2016. Projections for the next seven years expect passenger levels to hit up to 90 million.