HKIA reports new records for passenger trips, aircraft movements in 2011 HKIA reports new records for passenger trips, aircraft movements in 2011

The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) announced Wednesday that it welcomed 53.9 million passengers and handled 333,760 aircraft movements in 2011, up 5.9 percent and 8.9 percent respectively over 2010, a new record both for passenger trips and aircraft movements.

Meanwhile, its annual cargo performance decreased 4.6 percent to 3.9 million tonnes in 2011.

The HKIA also set a new monthly record for air traffic with 29,275 aircraft movements in December 2011, exceeding the previous record of 28,951 in August 2011 and representing 5.5 percent year-on-year growth.

According to the HKIA, the rise in passenger traffic in December was mainly driven by visitor traffic, which registered 8 percent growth over the same month in 2010. Passenger traffic to and from the Chinese mainland and Southeast Asia performed particularly well.

Stanley Hui Hon-chung, chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Airport Authority, said, it was a challenging yet exciting year overall for the HKIA in 2011, in terms of operational excellence as well as growth and development.

He told the media, "we received 10 Best Airport awards in 2011. Our commitment to quality service continues to be widely recognized by travelers and the industry."

In view of the further integration of economies of Hong Kong with the mainland and in particular, the Pearl River Delta, Hui said the HKIA would continue with its efforts to enhance multi-modal connections with the Pearl River Delta.

Recent data showed that cross-boundary passenger trips via limousines and the SkyPier ferry services registered yearly growth of 11 percent and 7 percent, to 1.9 million and 2.4 million respectively.

Looking ahead, Hui said, passenger volume and aircraft movements will likely continue their growth trend, though at a slower pace, and cargo tonnage may decline further due to the slowdown in global trade but the pace of decline will likely be less than 2011.

He added that, notwithstanding worldwide economic uncertainty in the near term, "we will continue to enhance services at the HKIA and strengthen Hong Kong's competitiveness as a leading international and regional aviation center."