Hong Kong International Airport is reconfiguring the North and South Departure Halls in its Terminal 1 to meet increasing demand for passenger services.

Scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2009, the US$11.5 million (HK$90 million) project will increase the number of security channels from 18 to 32, ensuring the Airport Authority continues to provide quality service.

Airport Authority general manager, Henry Ma, says the airport is upgrading its facilities and expanding its passenger-handling capacity to serve 50 million passengers a year.

The departure halls will include an additional security channel during the reconfiguration, and the authority will deploy extra staff to ensure smooth passenger flows.

Other Terminal 1 programmes include consolidating two arrival halls, adding new transfer desks, immigration counters and security channels for arriving and transit passengers, and expanding baggage-handling capacity.

The authority has built 10 new cargo stands and resurfaced two runways. Two rapid-exit taxiways are operating, while a new north satellite concourse will enter service next year.