HK Express (UO, Hong Kong International) is looking to add a second base to its operations in 2 to 3 years time. The move comes in the wake of news that its Hong Kong International hub will soon reach saturation with its current capacity sitting on 90% of maximum.

The Hong Kong Airlines (HX, Hong Kong International) subsidiary officially unveiled its new Low Cost Carrier product in January of this year with six A320-200s serving Chiang Mai, Fukuoka, Kota Kinabalu, Kunming Changshui, Osaka Kansai, Penang, Phuket, Seoul Incheon, Taichung Ching Chuan Kang and Tokyo Haneda.

Despite two fully operational 3'800m runways, the Hong Kong Airport Authority estimates that the airport will reach its maximum runway capacity sometime around 2020 if no extra runway is added.

Fellow carriers Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong International) and Dragonair (Hong Kong International) have used the Hong Kong airport's lack of remaining capacity as part of their arguments against the licensing of Jetstar Hong Kong (Hong Kong International).