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Hong Kong air cargo volume sees first growth in 15 months

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-16 10:37

Cargo tonnage handled by Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in October 2009 increased by 1.3 percent to 324,000 tons over the same period last year, the first month that registered growth since August 2008, the Airport Authority said Sunday.

According to the statistics released on the day, passenger throughput and air traffic movements declined 3.7 percent and 7.8 percent, compared to the same month last year, to 3.9 million and 23,945 respectively.

From January to October, the airport received some 38.2 million passengers, moved 2.7 million tons of cargo and handled 231,800 aircraft movements, representing yearly declines of 6.3 percent, 13.4 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively.

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Stanley Hui Hon-chung, chief executive officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong, said the recent traffic figures continued to indicate signs of stabilization, particularly on the air cargo side, which was in line with the overall economic environment.

"It is encouraging to see cargo throughput end the downward trend and increase by 1.3 percent in October. Though this is just a mild improvement made on October 2008 which itself saw a drop compared to October 2007 it nevertheless is an encouraging change for the better during a challenging time."

He expressed the hope the strong pre-Christmas growth momentum could last and give further boost to the recovery of the industry.