Hong Kong posts 1.1pc rise in May air cargo, first uptick in 14 months

HONG KONG International Airport (HKIA) has posted its first positive yearly growth in air cargo volume in 14 months, an increase of 1.1 per cent in May to 333.000 tonnes.

The growth in May cargo throughput was attributed to a three per cent year-on-year growth in exports, said the airport authority, adding that the May cargo throughput to and from south east Asia bested other key regions.

But while authority "remains cautiously optimistic", it said it will continue to monitor the impact of economic uncertainties on the aviation industry."

From January to May, cargo volume dropped 0.9 per cent to 1.6 million tonnes, while aircraft movements grew 5.9 per cent to 143,445 compared to the same period last year.

During the first five months, passenger traffic registered a yearly 7.2 per cent increase, reaching 23 million. In May, the HKIA handled 4.5 million passenger trips, up 4.1 per cent year on year. Flight movements reached 29,230, up five per cent against the same period last year.

On a rolling 12-month basis, cargo volume registered a decrease of 4.5 per cent to 3.9 million tonnes. But aircraft movements were up 6.2 per cent to 341,830 and passenger movements rose 6.4 per cent to 55.4 million.