With the three-month community consultation process kicks start on the need for a third runway at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) today, Dragonair is firmly putting its support behind the move for the expansion.

Dragonair is fully committed to the belief that the third runway is essential in order to enhance the city's reputation as one of the world's key aviation hubs. The additional capacity will have wide-ranging economic benefits for the community.

Industry data from The International Air Transport Association (IATA) shows that the industry's development is moving eastwards: half of the world's aviation profits in 2010-11 are from Asia; and more people are flying in Asia-Pacific with its aviation market set to overtake North America by 2014. China is right at the centre of this growth in air traffic.

Dragonair Chief Executive Officer James Tong said "Hong Kong is ideally placed in the centre of this sphere of growth, especially with regard to Asia and Mainland China in particular. Hong Kong has always been admired for our excellent software, human resources, management and services, and in order to keep us well equipped and not to lose out our prominence and share in the move of this economic and aviation growth, the development of compatible hardware - the 3rd runway - is imminent."

Dragonair acknowledges and welcomes the benefits the third runway will bring. Not only will it bring fresh opportunities to the aviation industry itself, but the expansion's effect will permeate through the entire community.

Dragonair, an affiliate member of oneworld, is a Hong Kong-based airline operating a fleet of 32 passenger aircraft and serving 33 regional destinations, including 17 cities in Mainland China. Dragonair has been recognised for its product and service quality, and was voted "World's Best Regional Airline" in the annual World Airline Survey run by Skytrax in 2010. Dragonair is part of the Cathay Pacific Group, providing seamless connectivity for passengers to more than 140 cities around the globe.

Dragonair web site address: www.dragonair.com