The Asian FBO Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre (HKBAC) has celebrated its 20th anniversary by holding a cocktail party at one of its three hangars and a gala dinner at the Peninsula Hong Kong hotel with clients, industry operators and partners. The company thanked all those attending for believing in its business aviation vision and for feedback and support throughout the years.

It was a full-house on both occasions, with distinguished guests from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the airport authorities from Hong Kong and Zhuhai, as well as friends from the aviation industry including under secretary for transport and Housing Dr Raymond So, director general of Civil Aviation Simon Li, Airport Authority Hong Kong board member Anita Fung and executive director (commercial) Cissy Chan, Sun Hung Kai Properties chairman and managing director Raymond Kwok and HKBAC director Sir Michael Kadoorie.

In his address Dr So said: “As an international aviation hub, the Hong Kong International airport could not be without a world-class business aviation centre. Business aviation and general aviation serve a niche market and satisfy the unique needs of high-end or business travellers, facilitated by the world-class and one stop service of HKBAC. The government acknowledges that HKBAC is playing an extended role in Hong Kong’s success as an international aviation hub.”

He continued: “With the opening of the high speed rail Hong Kong section and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau bridge we look forward, together with HKBAC, to connecting even more travellers from within the region to Hong Kong International airport.”

Ninety per cent of flights handled by HKBAC are business flights. At least 65 of the top 100 Hong Kong listed companies in Hong Kong utilise business aviation. Having started out in 1998 by handling just a few hundred flights a year, HKBAC is now serving an annual total of nearly 7,000 flights.

Raymond Kwok, a major shareholder in HKBAC, noted the company’s encouraging growth and thanked the Transport and Housing Bureau, Civil Aviation Department and Hong Kong Airport Authority for facilitating business aviation activities. He said: “HKBAC stands not just for itself but also for Hong Kong as a whole. Business aviation is an important, albeit small, contributor to Hong Kong helping to draw entrepreneurs, corporate leaders and business executives from all over the world to fuel our economy.”

Aviation advocate and fellow HKBAC major shareholder Sir Michael Kadoorie added: “Hong Kong’s strength is its ability to connect with the rest of the world. HKBAC is the connectivity for Hong Kong.” He told stories about the development of Hong Kong’s first international airport in the 1930s and the first cross harbour tunnel in the 1960s to underline his point. “Hong Kong can’t afford to let opportunities pass it by. We should continue to explore the possibility of a cross-boundary helicopter service that will facilitate the arrival, and departure, of more travellers through Hong Kong quickly and efficiently as part of our Greater Bay Area initiative."