This picture taken on Jan 5, 2023 shows people walking through the arrivals hall at Hong Kong International Airport. (PHOTO / AFP)
HONG KONG – The passenger volume at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) continued to grow in January, with the number of daily passengers reaching up to around 40 percent of pre-pandemic levels, the Airport Authority Hong Kong said Sunday.
In a statement, the AAHK said passenger throughput at HKIA last month registered around 2.1 million, marking a year-on-year surge of around 28 times. It said the HKIA handled over 80,000 passengers daily at peak, representing around 40 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
Traffic to and from Southeast Asia and Japan recorded the most significant increases while strong passenger demand was observed in the second half of the month due to the Chinese New Year holiday
“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,” the statement reads.
Due to the relaxation of travel restrictions, all passenger segments experienced significant growths, particularly Hong Kong residents, compared to the same month last year.
The AAHK said traffic to and from Southeast Asia and Japan recorded the most significant increases while strong passenger demand was observed in the second half of the month due to the Chinese New Year holiday.
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The reopening of the Chinese mainland market to international travel also drove a recovery in passenger traffic between the Hong Kong SAR and the mainland, it added.
On the other hand, 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 region, North America, and Europe saw significant decreases in terms of cargo volume during the month, the AAHK said.
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On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger volume increased year-on-year by 466.0 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, it added.