Hong Kong Airport Reports 127.4% Increase in Passenger Numbers

Cargo throughput at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in September 2021 increased by 17.9% to 455,000 tonnes, compared to the same month last year.

Both imports and exports continued to register double-digit year-on-year growth, with cargo to and from North America and Southeast Asia experiencing the most significant increases during the month.

The airport also handled 227,000 passengers and 13,920 flight movements in September, increasing by 127.4% and 32.0%, respectively.

HKIA handled a daily average of more than 7,000 passengers during the month, amounting to around 5% of the pre-pandemic level during the same month in 2019. Outbound transfer passengers from Mainland China to Europe and North America recorded significant increases in September 2021.

Over the first nine months of the year, cargo throughput saw 13.1% growth to 3.6 million tonnes. Passenger throughput and flight movements dropped 89% and 18.6% to 941,000 passengers and 101,425, respectively.

On a 12-month rolling basis, HKIA handled 1.2 million passengers and 137,520 flight movements, recording year-on-year declines of 95.2% and 39.0%, respectively. Cargo throughput rose 8.3% to 4.9 million tonnes.

To further enhance air cargo handling, the Airport Authority has launched the HKIA Cargo Data Platform, connecting key stakeholders along the supply chain – such as cargo terminal operators, freight forwarders, truckers and screening facility operators.

The blockchain-enabled community-based platform is designed to improve shipment traceability, unify communication and information exchange, synchronise and standardise process workflow and enable paperless working environment.

The platform supports International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) One Record standard as aligned to the digital future of the industry on a global perspective.

Cissy Chan, Executive Director, Commercial of the Airport Authority, said, “As a smart airport, the Airport Authority took an innovative step to develop a common data platform to drive the community-wide digitalisation collaboration. The successful launch of the platform signifies a more cohesive industry ecosystem which aims to create differentiating benefits for the Hong Kong air cargo community, thereby further consolidating HKIA’s status as a leading international cargo hub.”

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