HKIA again named world's best airport
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has been voted the world's best airport for the seventh time in eight years in the annual Skytrax survey, which polled more than 8.2 million travelers from nearly 100 nations. Skytrax is an independent air transport research organization based in London.
Conducted from August 2007 to May 2008, the World Airport Survey rated more than 190 airports on 40 product and service categories, including staff efficiency and courtesy, terminal cleanliness, airport accessibility, shopping and dining options, Internet services, as well as security processing and immigration waiting times.
Airport Authority Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer Stanley Hui thanked travelers for their support. “It’s a great honor to be repeatedly recognized as the world’s finest airport. This accolade belongs to the numerous government departments, airlines, franchisees, contractors, shops and restaurants, travel and transport industry, airport security and the Airport Authority that make up the 60,000-strong airport community. Their dedication and hard work play such an important role in our success,” he said.
To meet growing demand and maintain its high service standards, HKIA launched a US$576.92 million enhancement program for Terminal 1 and the airfield. “We are working hard to minimize the inconvenience to passengers during the improvements, which will be completed by 2011,” added Mr. Hui.
Congratulating HKIA on its notable achievement, Skytrax Chief Executive Officer Edward Plaisted said, “To retain the title of world’s best airport among such strong competition is clear testament to an airport that is satisfying its customers at the highest level. Like any other business, an airport is striving to deliver world-class standards that will make a customer want to use it again, and achieving this level of loyalty requires the highest levels of quality consistency.”
Asian airports took four of the top five places this year. Singapore Changi Airport ranked second, followed by Seoul Incheon International Airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Munich Airport.
HKIA passengers increase 5% in June
Passenger throughput at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) reached 4.1 million in June, representing a 5% increase year-on-year. Cargo traffic grew 2.4% to 312,000 metric tons, and air traffic movements increased 2.7% to 24,825.
While visitor traffic experienced a slowdown in June, growth in travel by Hong Kong residents and transfer/transit passengers was relatively more encouraging. Import/export cargo momentum showed signs of slowing down in June, and the overall 2.4% growth was mainly driven by transhipment to and from the Chinese mainland and North America. The slower growth in air cargo was largely in line with the reduction in foreign trade between China and its trading partners.
With high fuel prices and volatilities in the financial market likely to continue, airlines will meet the challenge through both route and capacity rationalization and fare increases, including fuel surcharges.
“Demand for air travel would be put to test in the higher fare environment,” said Stanley Hui, chief executive officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong. “Higher cost of air freight will also drive less time-sensitive shipments to sea freight. Given the latest market outlook, both passenger traffic and cargo volume will likely see lower growth this year.”
For the first half of 2008, passenger volume, cargo traffic and aircraft movements increased 7.3%, 6.8% and 4.6% over the same period last year, to 24.4 million, 1.8 million metric tons and 149,890, respectively.
Cathay Pacific sees more passenger growth
The combined June traffic figures for Cathay Pacific and Dragonair show continued growth in the number of passengers carried by the two airlines, along with a rise in cargo tonnage, compared to June 2007.
The two airlines carried a total of 2,123,462 passengers — a 12.7% year-on-year increase. The passenger load factor grew 0.3% to 81.3%, while June’s capacity, measured in available seat kilometers, rose 16% compared to the previous year. Year to date, the number of passengers carried increased 13.7% and capacity rose 14.3%.
The two airlines carried a total of 137,680 metric tons of cargo and mail in June, up 4% year-on-year. Capacity for the month, measured in available cargo/mail tonne kilometers, grew 2.2%, while the cargo and mail load factor edged up 0.5% to 67.5%. Both cargo tonnage and capacity for the year to date have risen 6.9%.
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