The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) announced that in January, passenger traffic at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) registered around 2.1 million, marking a year-on-year surge of around 28 times.

In January, flight movements saw a year-on-year increase of 34.9 percent to 16,215, while cargo throughput dropped 26.4 per cent to 288,000 tonnes compared to the same month last year, reports Xinhua news agency.

Due to the relaxation of Covid-19-related travel restrictions, all passenger segments experienced significant growth, particularly Hong Kong residents, compared to the same month last year, according to the AAHK. Traffic to and from Southeast Asia and Japan recorded the most significant increases. Strong passenger demand was observed in the second half of the month due to the Chinese New Year holiday.

Cargo volume was still impacted by global economic uncertainties. The mainland factory closures during the Chinese New Year holiday led to year-on-year decreases. Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe saw significant decreases in terms of cargo volume during the month. On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger volume increased year on year by 466 per cent to 7.6 million.