Transport officials say they have no plans to increase the airport construction fee levy on passengers – which is being used to partly finance the third runway project – despite a collapse in passenger numbers due to the new coronavirus outbreak, RTHK reports. Raymong Cheng, the head of the Transport and Housing Bureau's Airport Expansion Project Coordination Office, made the comment during a Legco economic development panel meeting today. In response to a question by lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching, over the Airport Authority's cash flow situation, Cheng said that the authority will continue collecting the levy until the debt is paid off. The levy, which ranges from HK$70 to HK$180, is helping to pay for the HK$141 billion third runway project, but officials say the authority is considering borrowing more money from banks. "I think as the economy recovers, we are confident that our cash position will improve," Woo said.

Source: The Standard June 22, 2020 07:07 UTC