New HK Express Airways Route Links Hong Kong International Airport To Sanya, Hainan

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Hong Kong International Airport reported significant growth in May 2024, with a 30.8% rise in passengers and a 34.5% increase in flight movements year-on-year.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has released its air traffic statistics for May 2024, reporting substantial growth. The airport handled 4.07 million passengers and recorded 29,855 flight movements, reflecting year-on-year increases of 30.8% and 34.5%, respectively.

The Labour Day “Golden Week” holidays in Mainland China at the end of April significantly boosted passenger traffic in May. Notably, travel to and from Southeast Asia, Mainland China, and Japan experienced the most substantial growth.

Cargo throughput also saw a notable increase, rising 19.0% year-on-year to 416,000 tonnes in May. HKIA has maintained double-digit growth in cargo volume each month this year, with export traffic being the primary driver, showing a 30.1% increase compared to the same month last year. Cargo traffic to and from North America, Europe, and the Middle East showed the most significant growth among key trading regions.

In the first five months of 2024, HKIA handled 21.0 million passengers, up 58.9% from the same period in 2023. Flight movements increased by 50.5% year-on-year to 145,140, while cargo volume rose by 18.0% year-on-year to over 1.9 million tonnes.

On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger volume reached 47.3 million, a 157.9% increase from the previous period. Flight movements grew by 76.3% year-on-year to 324,805, and cargo throughput increased by 13.1% year-on-year to 4.6 million tonnes.

In terms of route development, HK Express Airways launched a new direct flight service between HKIA and Sanya Phoenix International Airport in Hainan on May 10, offering four weekly flights and providing more travel options to Hainan.

HKIA’s “Marine Ecology and Fisheries Enhancement Strategy” project won the highest Platinum Award in the ACI Green Airports Recognition 2024 in the category of airports handling over 35 million passengers annually. This award, organised by ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, honours airports with exceptional achievements in biodiversity and nature-based solutions.

Peter Lee, General Manager, Sustainability of AAHK said, “We are honoured to receive this award, which commends our voluntary and continuous efforts to explore and enhance local marine biodiversity and fisheries resources around HKIA and North Lantau waters.  The efforts, namely eco-enhancement of seawall designs, deployment of artificial reefs and shellfish reefs, and fish restocking, were first investigated by experts, with pilot tests following on intended to determine the viability and real-world value of promising enhancements.  With positive biodiversity impacts identified, we are in the process of scaling up these initiatives around HKIA, and importantly, these nature-based efforts will serve as a useful reference for future implementation by others across broader Hong Kong waters.