Hong Kong International Airport set new records

HONG KONG, Jan 14: Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) set new records last year, with passenger throughput jumping 9.1 per cent to 44.45 million people from a year earlier.

Cargo throughput grew 5.2 per cent to 3.58 million tonnes, while aircraft movements rose 6.4 per cent to 280,490 compared to 2005, the HKIA said in a statement today.

''HKIA benefited from robust demand, fuelled by continued economic expansion in both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

We saw solid growth in passenger volumes from southeast Asia and the mainland and the outlook for 2007 remains positive,'' HKIA said.

Nine carriers joined Hong Kong's aviation network in 2006, bringing the number of destinations to 150, including 40 cities in mainland China, it added.

Passenger numbers hit 3.91 million in December, a rise of 9.2 per cent on the same month in 2005, it said.

Cargo throughput and aircraft movements reached 319,000 tonnes and 24,250 in December, up 2.8 per cent and 3.3 per cent over 2005, respectively.

Reuters