The authority managing the Hong Kong International Airport expects revenue to grow by up to 10 per cent this year despite ongoing disruptions arising from the Iran war, its CEO has said, adding that she aims to position the facility as an alternative aviation hub to the Middle East.

In a wide-ranging interview with the South China Morning Post on Thursday, Airport Authority Hong Kong CEO Vivian Cheung Kar-fay said the flight cancellations triggered by the conflict, including those by flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways, were “less desirable” to travellers hoping to fly to the region.

Cheung added that the authority was working to attract airlines to the city to launch flights.

“Some aircraft might not be able to stop by, or fall out of, the Middle East, and they might choose other places, and Hong Kong can be a great starting point for them to launch their flights,” she said on the sidelines of the Singapore Yachting Festival.

“That is something we will work on for the coming years. Of course, hopefully the war will end soon, and oil prices will come down, but even with the current status, we’re working on other alternatives.”

Cheung said that Hong Kong airport was expected to welcome about 70 million passengers this year, an increase from around 61 million last year, despite flight cancellations caused by the conflict.