HONG KONG - Strong summer traffic momentum continued for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) as passenger throughput were up 17.5 percent from a year ago, reaching new monthly highs of 4.7 million, said HKIA Sunday.Passenger traffic to/from the Chinese mainland and South East Asia performed particularly well last month. While overall visitor number registered a 29 percent yearly increase, Hong Kong resident traffic rose 21 percent against July 2009.On the air cargo front, almost all of Hong Kong's major trading markets showed yearly double-digit growth in July. Exports, especially those to North America and Europe, continued to be the dominant growth driver, surging 36 percent over the same period last year.
Stanley Hui Hon-chung, Chief Executive Officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong, said July saw a high average load factor of close to 80 percent for passenger flights at HKIA.To meet increased demand, both foreign and base carriers have been active in adding more flights, launching new destinations, or restoring flights that had been suspended during the financial crisis, Hui said.According to the latest report by Airports Council International, HKIA has retained its position as the world's busiest international cargo airport for the 14th consecutive year and handled the world's third largest international passenger volume in 2009
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