Hong Kong International Airport in China achieved a record-breaking 2015 after it served 68.5 million passengers and handled 406,020 flight movements for the year, representing annual growth of 8.1% and 3.8% respectively.
In December 2015 alone, flight movements set a new monthly record of 35,400, beating the previous record set in August 2015 and registering 3.3% year-on-year growth. The number of passengers handled during the month reached six million, climbing 6.1% compared to December 2014. The growth in passenger traffic in December was mainly driven by an 11% year-on-year growth in Hong Kong resident traffic.
Fred Lam, CEO of Airport Authority Hong Kong, the airport operator, said, “We are pleased to see Hong Kong Airport achieving another recording breaking year. The strong performance of the airport further strengthens its leading position as an international and regional aviation hub. This is also a result of the concerted effort of over 73,000 staff of the airport community. Their dedication has contributed to the smooth operation of the airport throughout the year.
“Looking forward, we expect 4% to 6% growth in passenger volume in 2016. Mild growth in cargo volume is expected due to global economic uncertainties. Most challenging of all, we expect air traffic movement to reach its annual maximum capacity of 420,000 soon. While the Midfield Concourse commenced operation at the end of 2015, expanding the airport into a three-runway system (3RS) is the only option for us to meet long-term air traffic demand. We will continue the preliminary work of the 3RS project, aiming to commence construction works this year.”