3rd runway bad idea

http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20130826/18394936

八十年代初期，香港前途問題湧現後，英國開始部署撤退。非殖民地化成為政策核心，其中公共部門私營化，引入商業運作模式，自成體系獨立管理，是大勢所趨，由是港式國企紛紛湧現，機管局、港鐵等都是箇中表表者。
凡事有利有弊，港式國企亦不例外。引入商業運作模式，按照經濟規律辦事，固然可以大大提高效率，但亦容易滋生既得利益階層。這些官僚機構公開宣稱的功能（manifest function），很多時都名不副實，實際功能（latent function）才始見真章。好大喜功是這些官僚機構領導層的通病，因為他們只有通過不斷擴大規模，形成壟斷格局，爭取更多公共資源，才可從中得益。
最近機管局以提升香港國際機場競爭力為由，建議興建第三條跑道，便是一個最佳例證。
表面上，香港是亞太區最重要的航空樞紐，網絡遍及全球，空運更是本港至今仍然極具領先優勢的行業，班次和航線都非大陸其他城市可比，對以商貿、物流運輸、金融、旅遊為主要經濟骨幹的香港來說，可謂舉足輕重。機管局揚言目前兩條跑道的容量已經飽和，要提升競爭力，就要興建第三條跑道，增加升降班次，以免流失客貨量，為鄰近地區的競爭對手取替。
但實際的情況真的是這樣嗎？
香港國際機場興建之初，已經設計每小時跑道升降量為75架次，但現時要至2015年才可達至68架次，顯然未充份利用兩條跑道應有的容量。2010年，鄭汝樺曾經聘請海外專家評估，結論是只要改善程序和增加適當人手，機場容量即時可增至72班次，但民航處處長羅崇文卻以安全、設施和人手不足為由，堅持機場跑道容量每年只能增加兩班。
所謂安全問題，民航處最初的理由是空域擠塞，其後卻被中央有關部門糾正有關說法。事實上，2004年已與國家民航局空管局達成共識，容許香港國際機場北面空域升降飛機，但羅崇文卻推翻協議，以致現時機場只能用北跑道作降落，南跑道作起飛。可見班次不能增加，全是人為所致。
民航處又以機場附近多山和地形安全為由，表示不宜增加每小時升降班次，以免發生意外。但地形是客觀存在的條件，興建第三條跑道後亦不會更變，試問又如何可以成為支持興建新跑道的合理依據？
人手方面，所謂不足也是人為所致。目前香港只聘用自己訓練的空管人才，但培育需時，只能以增加員工勞動量和強度來應付不斷上升的班次，因而容易導致工作過勞效率下降萌生意外的危險。當務之急應是向國際招聘人才，但民航處卻墨守成規，明顯非不能也，實不為也。
設施方面，不是跑道和容量不足，而是停機坪不足，以致本港機場無法容納更多飛機停泊，直接影響乘客和貨物運載效率。因此，與其興建第三條跑道，倒不如興建第三座客運大樓，增加停機泊位，從而方便和提升處理客貨運載效率。
香港當然需要發展，但好大喜功的瞎搞，不但勞民傷財，還對環境造成不必要破壞，徒添社會爭端。在興建第三條跑道之前應該物盡其用，用盡一切方法增加目前兩條跑道的容量；否則大興土木，只會徒勞無功，第三條跑道注定成為中看不中用的白象工程。

黎則奮
時事評論員

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黎則奮

Apple Daily

http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20130826/18394936

Google Translation

The early 1980s, after the emergence of Hong Kong’s future, the British began to deploy retreat. Become a core policy of decolonization, including the privatization of the public sector, the introduction of commercial operation mode, self-contained independent management, is the trend, by the Hong Kong-style state-owned enterprises have emerged, AA, MTR, etc. are 箇中 exemplar.
Everything pros and cons, Hong Kong-style state-owned enterprises are no exception. Introduction of commercial mode of operation, in accordance with economic laws, of course, can greatly improve efficiency, but also easy to breed vested interests. These bureaucracies avowed functions (manifest function), has often a misnomer, the actual function (latent function) before the beginning of pinpointing. Grandiose bureaucratic leadership of these common problem, because they are only by expanding the scale, a monopolistic situation to attract more public resources, can benefit from it.
AA recently to enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong International Airport , the proposed construction of a third runway is an excellent example.
On the surface, Hong Kong is the region’s most important aviation hub, the network throughout the world, air is still very leading edge of our industry, frequency and route other mainland cities are non-comparable, for commerce and trade, transport and logistics, finance, tourism as the main backbone of the economy of Hong Kong, can be described as decisive. AA threatened the capacity of the current two runways already saturated, to enhance competitiveness, it is necessary to build a third runway, increasing lift frequency, in order to avoid the loss of passenger and cargo volume, the neighborhood competitors replaced.
But the reality is it really?
Hong Kong International Airport at the beginning, has been designed hourly runway capacity of 75 movements, but now only up to 2015, to 68 movements, apparently did not take advantage of two runways proper capacity. 2010, Ms Cheng was hired foreign experts to assess, the conclusion is appropriate as long as the process improvement and increasing manpower, airport capacity can be increased to 72 real-time movements , but Civil Aviation’s Norman Lo, but in a safe, understaffed facilities and grounds, insist airport runway can only increase the annual capacity of two classes.
The so-called security issues, the initial reason for the Civil Aviation Department is congested airspace and subsequently been central departments to rectify the argument. In fact, 2004 has reached a consensus with the National Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control to allow airspace north of Hong Kong International Airport landing planes, but Mr Lo was overthrown agreement that the existing airport can only use the north runway for landing, south runway for takeoff. Visible frequency cannot be increased, all caused by people.
Civil Aviation Department and Youyi mountainous terrain near the airport, citing security concerns, which means that should increase the hourly lift frequency, to avoid accidents. But the terrain is an objective condition, after the construction of a third runway will not be more variable, how can they support the construction of a new runway could be a reasonable basis?
Manpower, the so-called shortage is caused by man. Hong Kong is only employ trained himself ATC talent, but needs nurturing, only to increase the volume and intensity of labor staff to cope with increasing frequency, which can easily lead to overwork the risk of accidental initiation reduced efficiency. Priority should be to inform the international recruitment of talent, but the Civil Aviation Department was legalistic, obviously not incapable real not do so.
Facilities, not the runway and the lack of capacity, but the apron inadequate local airport can not accommodate more aircraft parking, a direct impact on passengers and cargo load efficiency. Therefore, instead of building a third runway, it would be better to build a third passenger terminal, increasing downtime berth, so as to facilitate and enhance the efficiency of processing passengers and cargo carried.
Hong Kong, of course, need development, but grandiose messing around, not only costly, but also cause unnecessary damage to the environment, just adding to social disputes. Before the construction of a third runway should be fully utilized, by all means to increase the current capacity of the two runways; otherwise massive construction projects, will be in vain, a third runway is destined to become a white elephant project impractical.

Li Fen
Commentators