Hong Kong Airport's passenger volume increased by 19.6% to 5.74 million in March

The double-digit growth of transit passengers and visitors to Hong Kong has become the core driving force for the increase in passenger volume. Influenced by the situation in the Middle East, European routes have experienced explosive growth. Although the freight market has slightly declined due to export drag, the growth of import and transit volume has effectively offset some of the decline, presenting an overall good trend of "strong passenger transport and differentiated freight transport".

1、 Passenger performance: 5.74 million passengers achieved excellent results, driven by dual power to drive growth

In March, the Hong Kong airport passenger transport market experienced a strong recovery, with a passenger handling volume of 5.74 million people increasing by 19.6% compared to the same period last year, demonstrating the strong resilience of the aviation market. As the core dual engine of passenger growth, both transit passengers and inbound passengers have achieved double-digit growth, effectively driving the overall passenger volume to climb and further consolidating the position of Hong Kong Airport as an international transit hub.

Specifically, the growth of transfer/transit passengers is attributed to the well-established route network and transit advantages of Hong Kong Airport, especially the explosive demand for transfer flights on European routes, injecting strong momentum into passenger volume growth; The growth of visitors to Hong Kong has benefited from the continuous recovery of the Hong Kong tourism market. Various large-scale events held in Hong Kong in March also attracted a large number of overseas tourists, further releasing travel demand. In addition, the takeoff and landing volume of 34100 aircraft increased by 2.7% year-on-year, and the steady increase in capacity supply provided a solid guarantee for the growth of passenger volume, reflecting the continuous optimization of airport operation efficiency.

2、 Highlights of the route: The situation in the Middle East is driving, and there is an outbreak of transit routes in Europe

The rapid growth of passenger traffic at Hong Kong airport in March was inseparable from the explosive performance of European routes, and this growth trend is closely related to the current situation in the Middle East. Affected by the situation in the Middle East, multiple aviation hubs in the region have been closed. Asian passengers who were originally transiting through the Middle East to Europe have turned to Hong Kong for transfer, directly driving a surge in demand for Hong Kong to Europe routes and becoming the biggest highlight of passenger growth.

It is reported that the passenger load factor of Hong Kong airport's routes to and from Europe has significantly increased, and some popular routes have even experienced a shortage of ticket sources. Relevant airlines have also adjusted their capacity in a timely manner, opening more European flights and replacing larger aircraft models to cope with the surge in transfer demand. At the same time, Southeast Asian and mainland Chinese air routes continue to play a leading role in growth, relying on the close economic, trade, and tourism links between Hong Kong and the two regions, continuously releasing travel demand, and forming synergy with European air routes to jointly promote the continuous heating up of the passenger transport market, further highlighting the hub value of Hong Kong airport in connecting the world and radiating to the mainland and Southeast Asia.