The Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong announced on Oct. 2 that the arrival routes for aircraft from the west and north of Hong Kong would be shortened starting from Oct. 22.

After the adjustment, each flight arriving in Hong Kong from the China's mainland, Southeast Asia or Europe via the new routes will be able to save up to about 210 kilometers, or 14 minutes in flight time, a spokesman for the department said.

Based on the traffic figures recorded in the first quarter of 2009, it is estimated that the new routes will enable annual savings of more than 10 million kilometers in journey, or 12,000 hours in flight time for the arrival aircraft.

With an average of about 150 flights using the new routes daily, about 8 million passengers will benefit annually from these express routes.

The new routes will enable air travelers to have shorter flying time while airline operators will benefit from less fuel consumption.

The department would continue to, as part of its airspace improvement program, develop and progressively apply more advanced aviation technologies and work closely with airline operators to further enhance the air route system in the Hong Kong Flight Information Region, the spokesman said.