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Hong Kong Airport passenger numbers continue to crash and burn
April 17th 2020
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has posted a 91% decline in passenger numbers for March as airlines slashed services and governments tightened travel restrictions in response to COVID-19. Read More »
In figures mirrored by scores of airports worldwide, Airport Authority Hong Kong [AA] said this week there were 576,000 passengers processed at the Chek Lap Kok Airport in March compared with 6.42 million in the prior corresponding period.
Passenger flight movements dropped 82.1%, to 5,550, in the month.
“The whole airport community is encountering unprecedented hardship amid the COVID-19 pandemic," AA executive director for airport operations, Vivian Cheung, said in a statement.
"In addition to assisting in the implementation of quarantine measures by the Department of Health, our airport staff have been working diligently to ensure protection against the virus at HKIA.
"I would like to express my appreciation of their professionalism, dedication and endurance. Members of the airport community shall continue to work closely during this very challenging time and tide over the difficulties together,” she said.
The ramp up in cargo services to add back capacity lost with cancelled passenger flights was reflected in HKIA's traffic figures for March, which showed a 13.1% increase in cargo flight movements for the month.
However, it was clear not all the capacity had been replaced, with the total volume of cargo handled falling 12.4%, to 378,000 tonnes.
Hong Kong's home carriers, Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines, were continuing to operate scheduled passenger flights albeit with only a fraction of their normal capacity.
Cathay Pacific Group's low-cost carrier, HK Express, which has suspended flights since March 23, said this week its network suspension would be extended to June 19 with a resumption of flight operations "subject to the development of the situation".
Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific, Auckland Airport said this week there was a 42% reduction in passenger numbers to 1.1 million in March. The airport processed about 3,500 travellers a day in April, which represented 6% of the 58,000 daily passengers handled in the same month a year ago.
Australia’s Brisbane Airport said passenger foot traffic at its terminals had declined 96% since March 29 due to travel restrictions. In an effort to support retailers, the largest airport in Queensland has established an online store, the BNE Marketplace, which featured about 200 products when launched this week, with the range of products to expand in coming weeks.
