Lois Larson
Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport was one of the world's busiest airports in the 1990s, handling 29.5 million international passengers and 1.56 million tons of cargo in 1996. However, its single runway was nearly surrounded by water, with residential high-rises and mountains nearby, making it one of the most challenging airports for pilots. In 1998, Kai Tak Airport closed, and its operations were moved to the new, larger Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok. The former airport site is now being redeveloped for housing and other projects, with some remnants of the old airport remaining, including the famous Checkerboard Hill.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Years of operation | 1925-1998 |
| Location | Kowloon Bay in Kowloon, Hong Kong |
| Surroundings | Surrounded by rugged mountains, Victoria Harbour, and residential apartment complexes |
| Runway | Single runway numbered 13/31, oriented southeast-northwest |
| Capacity | Designed for 24 million passengers per year, but exceeded capacity in the 1990s |
| Traffic | Ranked as the third busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic in 1996 |
| Cargo | Busiest in terms of international cargo throughput in 1996 |
| Landing approach | Infamous for its challenging approach, including a sharp 45-degree turn below 500 feet |
| Checkerboard Hill | Pilots used a red-and-white checkerboard pattern as a visual signal for the turn towards the runway |
| Closure | Replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok Airport) in 1998 |
| Redevelopment | The site has been redeveloped for housing, a cruise terminal, and other projects |
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What You'll Learn
Kai Tak Airport closed in 1998
Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong closed on 6 July 1998. The final departure from the airport was a Cathay Pacific flight to the new Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok, which opened two days earlier on 2 July 1998.
The final departure from Kai Tak was at 1:05 am on 6 July, and a small ceremony was then held in the airport's control tower. Hong Kong's Chief Secretary, Anson Chan, and the Director of Civil Aviation, Richard Siegel, turned off the runway lights and bid a final farewell: "Goodbye Kai Tak, and thank you!".
The final scheduled passenger departure was a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747 operating CX251 from Hong Kong to London Heathrow, which took off at 00:02 on 6 July. This was preceded by the final scheduled landing, a Dragonair Airbus A320 from Chongqing, which landed just before midnight on 5 July.
The closure of Kai Tak Airport came after years of increasing traffic and capacity issues. The airport was designed to handle 24 million passengers per year, but in 1996, Kai Tak handled 29.5 million passengers, making it the third busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic. The airport was also surrounded by rugged mountains, water on three sides, and Kowloon City's residential apartment complexes. This made landing at Kai Tak a hair-raising event, even for experienced pilots, as it required a 45-degree turn below 500 feet to line up with the runway.
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It was replaced by the Chek Lap Kok Airport
Kai Tak Airport was replaced by the Chek Lap Kok Airport, officially known as the Hong Kong International Airport, in 1998. The new airport was built on reclaimed land around the islands of Chek Lap Kok and Lam Chau, 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Kai Tak.
The decision to replace Kai Tak Airport was driven by several factors. Firstly, the airport was struggling to accommodate the increasing air traffic. In 1996, Kai Tak handled 29.5 million passengers and 1.56 million tonnes of freight, exceeding its designed capacity of 24 million passengers per year. The growth of Hong Kong and the surrounding developments also constrained the airport's ability to expand physically.
The unique geographical location of Kai Tak Airport, surrounded by water on three sides and with mountains to the northeast, posed challenges for aircraft landing and take-off. The airport's single runway extended into Victoria Harbour, and the approach path took aircraft over the densely populated Kowloon City, where residents lived in high-rise apartments. This led to concerns about the potential safety risks and the impact on the local community.
The new Chek Lap Kok Airport offered a more modern, spacious, and isolated location for Hong Kong's aviation needs. The construction of the new airport began in 1991 and was completed in about seven years. The final flight to depart from Kai Tak was a Cathay Pacific Airbus A340 operating a ferry flight to the new airport in the early hours of July 6, 1998. A small ceremony was held, and the runway lights were turned off, marking the end of Kai Tak's aviation history.
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The airport was known for its hair-raising landings
Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong was known for its hair-raising landings. The airport, which operated from 1925 until 1998, was located in the middle of Kowloon City, with its runway protruding into Victoria Harbour. This meant that aircraft could not fly over the mountains and quickly drop in for a final approach. Instead, they had to fly above the harbour and the city, making a sharp right-hand U-turn to line up with the runway. This manoeuvre, known as the "Checkerboard turn", brought planes so close to the nearby apartment buildings that passengers could spot television sets in the apartments and even see people's laundry drying out of the window.
The Checkerboard turn was a 45-degree turn below 500 feet that was required to line up with runway 13. The approach into Kai Tak Airport from the west was nicknamed the "'Checkerboard approach'" because pilots would use a painted red-and-white (or orange-and-white) checkerboard pattern on "Checkerboard Hill" as a guide signalling where they needed to start their sharp turn.
The landing procedure for runway 13 at Kai Tak was considered spectacular and was infamous not just among aviation enthusiasts but also among the general public. The airport's unique location, surrounded by water on three sides and with high-rise buildings and mountains nearby, made it one of the most difficult airports in the world for pilots to fly in and out of.
In the 1970s, concerns were raised about the potential loss of life in the event of a crash, as the airport's traffic increased and the surrounding area became more densely developed. However, no serious accidents occurred throughout its history of operations. By the 1980s and 90s, Kai Tak had become the busiest cargo hub in the world and the third busiest passenger hub, handling 29.5 million international passengers and 1.56 million tons of international cargo in 1996.
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It was surrounded by water on three sides
Kai Tak Airport was located on the eastern side of Kowloon Bay in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The airport was surrounded by water on three sides, with Victoria Harbour to the south, and rugged mountains to the northeast. The unique geography of the area meant that aircraft could not fly over the mountains and quickly drop in for a final approach. Instead, they had to fly above the harbour and Kowloon City, a hair-raising experience for pilots and passengers alike.
The Kai Tak runway was surrounded by high-density residential apartment complexes, with buildings rising to six stories at the northern end. The low-altitude turning manoeuvre before the final approach brought planes so close to these buildings that passengers could spot television sets in the apartments, and even see people's laundry drying out of the window. Understandably, many locals on the ground did not appreciate the attention.
The approach to Kai Tak Airport from the west was nicknamed the "Checkerboard Approach" or “Checkerboard Turn". Pilots would use a painted red-and-white (or orange-and-white) checkerboard pattern on "Checkerboard Hill" as a guide to signal where they needed to start their sharp turn towards the runway.
In the 1970s, the airport's increasing traffic and the growth of high-density developments around it raised concerns about the potential loss of life should a crash occur. The growth of Hong Kong also put a strain on the airport's capacity, which was designed to handle 24 million passengers per year. In 1996, Kai Tak handled 29.5 million passengers, making it the third busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic.
In 1998, Kai Tak Airport closed, replaced by the more modern and much larger Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok.
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It was named after businessmen Kai Ho and Au Tak
Kai Tak Airport was named after businessmen Kai Ho and Au Tak. In 1912, Ho Kai and Au Tak formed the Kai Tak Investment Company to reclaim land in Kowloon for development. The company, unfortunately, failed, and the land was left vacant. The Hong Kong government acquired the land for use as an airfield. The first recorded flight from Kai Tak took place on Lunar New Year's Day in 1925.
The Kai Tak Investment Company's business plan included the development of a residential housing scheme. The company's failure left the land vacant and it was subsequently acquired by the government for aviation use. The first aviation activities on the site included a flying school and a British military flying unit. In 1928, a concrete slipway was built for seaplanes using Kowloon Bay.
The Kai Tak Investment Company's legacy is tied to the history of aviation in Hong Kong. The company's initial failure led to the creation of an important aviation hub in Hong Kong. The first commercial passenger flight, operated by Imperial Airways, landed at Kai Tak in 1936.
Kai Tak Airport was a significant aviation hub in Hong Kong for many decades. The airport was known for its unique location and challenging approach for pilots. The site has since been redeveloped, with the former runway now home to a cruise terminal and park offering harbour views.
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Frequently asked questions
Kai Tak Airport closed in 1998 because it had reached its capacity and could no longer be expanded.
After the closure of Kai Tak Airport, the land was redeveloped and a new cruise terminal and park were built. The new Hong Kong International Airport was built on the islands of Chek Lap Kok and Lam Chau.
Kai Tak Airport was located in the middle of Kowloon City, with a runway protruding into the sea. It was regarded as one of the most difficult airports in the world for pilots due to its unique landing approach, which involved a 45-degree turn below 500 feet to line up with the runway.
Kai Tak Airport was home to Hong Kong's international carrier Cathay Pacific, regional carrier Dragonair (now Cathay Dragon), freight airline Air Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Airways.
