The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) must be further integrated with Pearl River Delta (PRD) to capture increased flow and add self competitiveness, said the Hong Kong Airport Authority Wednesday.

"To maintain sustainable growth in a competitive environment, HKIA must proactively expand its home market and connect it to the world through integration with the PRD airports," said David J Pang, chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Airport Authority.

He noted that the authority envisaged airports within the systems will be joined together through multi-modal facilities such as ferries and buses, making the system like one single hub airport.

According to Pang, HKIA has been made a truly multi-modal transportation hub with air, sea and land connectivity since the SkyPier ferry transfer service launched last year. The service connects the Pearl River Delta ports with the airport.

The authority Wednesday reported a net profit after tax of 386 million HK dollars (US$49.6 million) for the financial year of 2003. It also declared and paid a dividend of 380 million (US$48.8 million) to the Hong Kong SAR government.

This is the fourth consecutive year of profit despite the impact of SARS that has reduced total passenger number by 19.1 percent to 27.7 million. Nevertheless, cargo has continued with its robust growth and registered 2.74 million tons, an increase of 7.5 percent compared with the previous year.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2004)