Another airport has come up with a simple way of earning more money.
Near the start of July, Hong Kong International announced that it would be outsourcing its baggage handling function. Despite the fact that this is a very profitable airport, the authorities have agreed to a levy of HK$1.32 per checked bag, which is collected from the station's carriers.
With a throughput of some 75m passengers per annum, this adds up to very useful revenue; moreover, no investment has been required to start gathering in the funds. It is not known at this point whether or not the carriers will pass this charge on to its clients.
It seems likely that such a straightforward initiative will be rolled out elsewhere in the world.
