New records were set at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in 2006, with passenger and cargo throughput growing 9.1 percent and 5.2 percent over 2005, to 44.45 million passengers and 3.58 million tons respectively, Airport Authority said Sunday.

 

Aircraft movements increased 6.4 percent to 280,490, the authority added.

 

Airport Authority Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer, David J Pang, attributed the increase to robust demand which is fueled by continued economic expansion in both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

 

"We saw solid growth in passenger volumes from Southeast Asia and the mainland, and the outlook for 2007 remains positive," he said.

 

He said nine carriers joined the extensive network in 2006, bringing the number of destinations served by HKIA to 150, including 40 mainland cities.

 

Among new airlines was the world's first long-haul budget carrier, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines which launched a Hong Kong- London service in October. Six airlines - Cathay Pacific Airways, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Qantas Airways, Air New Zealand and Oasis Hong Kong Airlines - now operate 77 flights between Hong Kong and London each week.

 

Since 2004, the number of flights between the two cities has increased by 83 percent, making HKIA the Asian Pacific airport with the most frequent service to London and demonstrating HKIA's commitment to strengthening Hong Kong's role as the region's premier aviation hub.

 

Driven by strong demand during the holiday season, passenger numbers for December 2006 reached 3.91 million, 9.2 percent higher than 2005. Cargo throughput and aircraft movements for December 2006 were 319,000 tons and 24,250 movements, respectively, up 2.8 percent and 3.3 percent over 2005.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2007)