HKIA Releases Traffic Figures for February

Sky Bridge Awarded BEAM Plus Provisional Gold Rating

(HONG KONG, 12 March 2021, 1530hrs) – Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) today released the traffic figures of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for February 2021. During the month, cargo throughput was 310,000 tonnes, recording a year-on-year increase of 23.3%, while freighter movements surged 36.8% to 4,615, up from 3,374 recorded during the same month last year. Meanwhile, the airport handled 47,000 passengers and 8,475 flight movements, representing year-on-year decreases of 97.5% and 53.0%, respectively.

Combining the figures for the first two months of this year, which eliminates the effect of Chinese New Year falling in different months in 2020 and 2021, HKIA handled 118,000 passengers and 19,840 flight movements, reporting declines of 98.4% and 61.3%, respectively. Cargo throughput saw 17.9% growth to 719,000 tonnes.

The combined increase of cargo volume in January and February was largely driven by a surge in exports. Transshipments experienced a double-digit decline due to a shortage of belly capacity on passenger flights. The overall cargo to and from North America, the Middle East and Europe saw the most significant increase during the period.

Passenger traffic remained weak in February as the COVID-19 pandemic persisted. During the first two months of the year, passenger traffic for Hong Kong residents, visitors, and transfer/transit passengers all dropped significantly compared to the same month last year.

On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger throughput and flight movements recorded 98.0% and 67.9% year-on-year declines to 1.4 million and 129,260, respectively. Cargo throughput fell 3.5% to 4.6 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, Sky Bridge, a 200-metre long airside bridge connecting Terminal 1 (T1) and the North Satellite Concourse (NSC) at HKIA, has received BEAM Plus New Buildings’ provisional gold rating from the Hong Kong Green Building Council.  The green features of Sky Bridge recognised in the rating include optimisation of exterior lighting, use of sustainably-sourced construction materials, adoption of energy-saving electrical appliances and travellators, appropriate air ventilation, and more.

Ricky Leung, Executive Director, Engineering & Technology of the AA, said, “We are honoured that the Sky Bridge project has received this prestigious certification in sustainable infrastructure. Our project team has implemented green efforts across various aspects such as the site, materials, water and energy used, indoor environmental quality, and the adoption of new innovations. Achieving this certification stands as testament to HKIA’s dedication and commitment to becoming the world’s greenest airport.”

As the NSC will be connected to T1 by the Sky Bridge and become an integral part of the terminal, the gates and parking stands at the NSC will be renumbered in late March 2021 to align with those at T1, and the NSC will be renamed “T1 Satellite Concourse”. In this connection the Midfield Concourse, connected to T1 by the Automated People Mover, will be renamed “T1 Midfield Concourse”.