Cargo throughput for Hong Kong Airport increases 3.2 percent y/y in 2016

Jan 16, 2017: Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has seen 3.2 percent year on year increase in air cargo volume in 2016. It handled 4.52 million tonnes last year.

In December, cargo throughput climbed 11.3 percent over the same period in the previous year to 435,000 tonnes. The strong growth in December cargo throughput was largely driven by transshipments and exports, which registered 15 percent and 12 percent year-on-year growth, respectively. Amongst the key trading regions, traffic to/from Southeast Asia, North America and Europe increased most significantly in the month.

During the year, HKIA handled 70.5 million passengers and 411,530 flight movements, representing yearly rises of 2.9 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.

The passenger volume handled during December rose 2.8 percent yearly to reach 6.16 million. During the month, HKIA welcomed two new airlines – VietJet Air has commenced scheduled passenger flight services between Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh City from 9 December, while T’way Air began offering direct flights to Daegu in South Korea three times weekly from December 13.

Fred Lam, chief executive officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong, said, “During the past year, HKIA also achieved new daily records in flight movements and cargo volume, reaching 1,270 flight movements and handling over 16,700 tonnes of cargo. In addition, we welcomed five new airlines, namely Austrian Airlines, Bismillah Airlines, Malindo Air, T’way Air and VietJet Air during the year. We also expanded our air network – adding eight new destinations, including Madrid, Saipan, London Gatwick, Nha Trang, Chiang Rai, Ishigaki, Takamatsu and Yonago.”

Hong Kong resident travel, which saw robust 11 percent year-on-year growth over the same month in 2015, was the main driver behind the growth in passenger traffic. Passenger traffic to/from Japan and Europe recorded the most significant increases.

"To meet the medium and long-term growth demands of today’s aviation landscape, we are pushing forward a number of developments at HKIA, including the expansion of Terminal 1 and the Three-runway System. We are also launching the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy this year, providing various courses to nurture talent for the industry. We will continue to work closely with our business partners to maintain smooth operations and a world-class travel experience for our passengers," concluded Lam.