Hong Kong Airport says traffic soared in January

Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) announced the air traffic figures of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for January 2023. During the month, passenger throughput at HKIA registered around 2.1 million, marking a year-on-year surge of around 28 times. HKIA handled over 80,000 passengers daily at peak, representing around 40 percent of pre-pandemic levels. Flight movements saw a year-on-year increase of 34.9 percent to 16,215, while cargo throughput dropped 26.4 percent to 288,000 tonnes compared to the same month last year. Due to the relaxation of travel restrictions, all passenger segments experienced significant growths, particularly Hong Kong residents, compared to the same month last year. Traffic to and from Southeast Asia and Japan recorded the most significant increases. Strong passenger demand was observed in the second half of the month due to the Lunar New Year holiday. The re-opening of the Mainland market to international travel also drove a recovery in passenger traffic between Hong Kong and Mainland China. Cargo volume was still impacted by the global economic uncertainties. Mainland factory closures during the Chinese New Year holiday led to year-on-year decreases in import and export cargo of 36 percent and 33 percent, respectively. Southeast Asia, Taiwan, North America, and Europe saw significant decreases in terms of cargo volume during the month. On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger volume increased year on year by 466 percent to 7.6 million. Flight movements and cargo throughput saw declines of 1.7 percent and 18.2 percent to 142,920 and 4.1 million tonnes respectively. Meanwhile, AAHK clinched five accolades at the “TVB ESG Awards 2022”, including the “Outstanding ESG Award”, “Best in ESG Practices”, “Best in ESG Report”, “ESG Project Innovation Award” and “Innovative Climate Technology Award”. Presented by Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), the awards recognise companies for outstanding performance in environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]