Hazard- Cyclones/Hurricane/Typhoon/Tornado
Hong Kong International Airport: Multi-Agent Coordination to Prepare for Extreme Weather
Close Monitoring and Rapid Response for Typhoons
Keywords
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is located on the island of Chek Lap Kok in western Hong Kong. It is approximately 35 kilometers from Hong Kong’s city center and serves as a major transportation hub and is one of the world’s busiest airports, handling approximately 53 million annual passengers (2024).
The airport faces significant challenges due to its coastal location as it is vulnerable for potential weather disruptions. Therefore, the Airport Authority Hong Kong closely collaborates with the airport community to strengthen their ability to prepare and respond to extreme weather conditions. In addition, the airport authority also collaborates with the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) and Air Traffic Control (ATC) to have multi-agent coordination.
In order to be adaptive and responsive on changing weather conditions, AAHK may activate the Flight Rescheduling Control System (FRCS) based on weather information from HKO and advice from ATC on runway capacity. This system helps to manage airlines’ rescheduling request to quickly resume normal airport operations once extreme weather has passed.
In 2007, the Hong Kong Observatory launched the Airport Thunderstorm and Lightning Alerting System (ATLAS) to enhance the Red Lightning Warning (RLW) at the airport. ATLAS significantly improved safety for ground staff by forecasting lightning through radar echoes and lightning activity tracking. It issues an AMBER warning when cloud-to-ground lightning is predicted within a 5 km perimeter of the aerodrome or when intense radar echoes are within 15 km and lightning is detected or predicted within 5 km, suspending non-essential activities on the airport apron. A RED warning is issued when lightning is affecting or predicted to affect within 1 km of the airport island, advising all personnel to seek protective shelter and instructing passengers to stay inside sheltered areas, such as aircraft and the passenger terminal, following airport and airline staff instructions. This may prolong waiting times for passenger embarkation/disembarkation and baggage reclaim. ATLAS was tested during an intense thunderstorm, which affected the airport for around 2 hours, resulting in a prolonged RLW. Despite potential inconvenience to passengers, ATLAS ensures the safety of passengers and airport staff, with all personnel advised to follow the guidelines in the Emergency Procedures Manual (EPM) published by AAHK.
During extreme weather, the Airport Emergency Centre (AEC) may also be activated for multi-agency coordination, supporting FRCS activities and contingency arrangements such as aircraft ground holding, baggage handling, passenger crowd management, extended Automated People Mover service hours, active media engagement plans including regular updates, joint media briefings with local carriers, terminal announcements, and updates on websites and mobile apps to keep passengers and public informed. Once the situation resolves and flight movements resume, AAHK collaborates with airlines, ground handlers, and line maintenance operators to ensure sufficient resources are available to handle flights and serve passengers.
Evidence of the Solution(s) Effectiveness or Potential Impact
In August 2017, Typhoon Hato hit Hong Kong, causing significant disruption. AAHK proactively communicated with the HKO and ATC a day before the typhoon to monitor its development and assess the impact. Weather briefings were held to coordinate contingency measures, and the timing of FRCS activation was announced. Flight consolidation and public communication plans were prepared. Upon issuance of Typhoon Signal No. 3, AAHK activated the AEC for monitoring. Representatives from relevant organizations joined the AEC when Signal No. 8 was in force to ensure a coordinated response. The mass communication plan alerted the public about the impact via digital displays in terminals, public announcements through local media, the airport website, mobile application, and media briefings.
As Typhoon Hato escalated to signals No. 8, 9, and 10, most aircraft were grounded, and ferry and transportation were suspended. The airlines’ flight consolidation, FRCS, and suspension of transfer passengers alleviated pressure on crowd management at the airport. AAHK strategically deployed manpower in terminals to handle passenger inquiries and monitor irregularities during the typhoon and its recovery. Service hours of public transport and catering outlets were extended to cater to passengers’ needs. Once the weather constraints eased, the two runways operated overnight to clear the backlog of over 600 flights, nearly doubling the number of flight movements compared to normal days. The early planning and collaborative effort of the entire airport community ensured a swift, orderly, and efficient typhoon response and recovery. Airport operations returned to normal the next day, with more than 1,300 aircraft movements recorded and a new single-day record of over
234,000 passengers handled.
