Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) released the air traffic figures for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for November 2024. During the month, HKIA handled 4.44 million passengers and 31,105 flight movements, representing year-on-year increases of 18.0% and 11.6%, respectively. Cargo throughput increased to 458,000 tonnes, up 10.2% compared to November 2023.
Steven Yiu, Executive Director, Airport Operations of AAHK, said, “The passenger traffic at HKIA continues to grow, and the daily passenger traffic is expected to fully recover to the pre-pandemic level of 200,000 passengers during Christmas holiday travel peak. Meanwhile, we are delighted that Hong Kong to Taipei has been ranked the Busiest International Airline Route in 2024 by OAG. We will continue to enhance passengers’ airport experience to welcome passengers from around the world.” OAG is the leading data platform for the global travel industry.
HKIA further expands its extensive air traffic network as several new destinations and flight routes have been added in December. HK Express added new flight routes to Shizuoka, Phu Quoc Island and Hualien; Hong Kong Airlines launched a new flight route to Sendai; Greater Bay Airlines introduced new flight routes connecting to Sendai, Huangshan and Yichang; and Hebei Airlines, Loongair and Royal Air Philippines launched new routes connecting Hong Kong to Shijiazhuang, Changchun and Manila, respectively.
Passenger traffic remained steady in November 2024. All passenger segments, including Hong Kong residents, visitors and transfer/ transit passengers, experienced a double-digit year-on-year increase compared with the same month last year. Traffic to and from Southeast Asia, Mainland China and Japan recorded the most significant increases during the month.
Cargo throughput maintained its rising momentum in November with double-digit year-on-year growth. Among positive growths in all cargo sectors,18.6% increase in transshipment was the main contributor to the growth. Cargo traffic to and from Europe, the Middle East and North America saw the most significant gains among key trading regions.
Over the first 11 months of the year, passenger volume recorded an increase of 36.4% to approximately 48 million, while flight movements rose to 329,760, 33.9% up, compared with the same period in 2023. Cargo volume grew by 14.8% year-on-year to 4.5 million tonnes.
On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger volume saw a significant 42.2% year-on-year increase to 52.3 million, while flight movements surged by 37.2% to 359,590. Cargo throughput grew by 15.2% to 4.9 million tonnes.
Meanwhile, leading experts continued to recognise AAHK’s efforts to enhance the airport’s facilities and passenger experience with the latest technologies and innovations. AAHK was recently ranked third in the Corporate Innovation Index (CII) 2024, funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong SAR Government and developed by the Asia-Pacific Institute of Business at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The index recognized the achievements of Hong Kong enterprises in innovation leadership, business performance, and business model enhancement, while the CII findings highlight the significance of cultivating an innovation-driven culture and accelerating digital transformation.
Moreover, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) partnered with HKIA, Narita International Airport, Cathay Pacific and other business partners in October to achieve a proof-of-concept (PoC) involving two passengers successfully using digital wallets and travel credentials on a round-trip journey between Hong Kong and Tokyo. In the PoC, the travellers also used biometric identification to manage airport processes in a live environment without having to repeatedly show their travel documents. The pilot programme demonstrated the industry’s readiness to deliver a seamless, fully digital air travel experience.
