Hong Kong launches 'trunk-branch' air link with pilot cities Hangzhou and Wuhan
Hong Kong's transport chief announced the launch of 'trunk-branch, full-network' transit facilitation at the Super Hub Expo, starting with Hangzhou and Wuhan. The service enables luggage through-checking and seamless connections via Hong Kong International Airport to over 200 global destinations. Se
Hong Kong's Secretary for Transport and Logistics, speaking at the third Super Hub Expo at the Asia World-Expo on 3 November 2026, announced the launch of a new air-transit facilitation service called 'trunk-branch, full-network' (Gan Zhi Tong, Quan Wang Lian). The initiative, jointly promoted by the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, aims to enhance Hong Kong International Airport's role as a global aviation hub by connecting mainland Chinese regional cities through the airport.
The service enables passengers to check luggage through and enjoy seamless transfers between Hong Kong and mainland carriers. Two pilot schemes, 'Hangzhou-Hong Kong Connect the World' and 'Wuhan-Hong Kong Connect the World', were unveiled. Under these, Hong Kong-based airlines will collaborate with carriers at Hangzhou and Wuhan airports. The Airport Authority and airlines including Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines have completed system integration with China's travel-technology provider TravelSky, and tickets are now on sale, the secretary said.
The 'trunk-branch' model links smaller regional cities to larger hub airports, a key aviation development goal in Hong Kong's first five-year plan. The secretary described Hong Kong as a 'button' connecting mainland regional cities to over 200 global destinations and facilitating international travellers' access to inland Chinese cities.
Separately, the secretary addressed a citywide fault in on-street parking meters, known locally as 'parking ticket' machines. The Transport Department received an emergency report from operator Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) on the morning of 3 November. Preliminary investigation found no malicious interference, but further inquiries are ongoing. Partial restoration has been achieved, and the police have been instructed not to issue tickets for on-street parking until the system is fully fixed. The secretary has demanded a preliminary report from HKT within 24 hours, with a full government investigation to follow.
