A new-destination incentive arrangement for airlines will be improved and extended to December 31 next year, to encourage the launch of new air routes, the Transport & Housing Bureau says.

It is part of the changes the Airport Authority proposes the Scheme of Airport Charges will implement. The arrangement's one-year extension will allow the authority to continue offering airlines a rebate on landing charges for flights between Hong Kong and a new destination.

Other changes include specifying the parking charge for aircraft parked in areas other than a parking stand at $80 per 15-minute parking unit, and using the highest maximum take-off weight of the relevant aircraft type known to the authority to calculate the landing charge should an airline fail to provide the concerned aircraft's flight manual.

The bureau said today the changes will have positive economic implications. Airlines will be encouraged to introduce new routes which enhance Hong Kong's connectivity, benefiting the civil aviation and tourism industries and strengthening the city's position as an international hub in the region.

The Board of Airline Representatives in Hong Kong supported the changes, which will be gazetted on October 24 and effective on January 1 next year.