Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is promoting its competitive advantages, including its connectivity within the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and its globally top-ranked air cargo capacity, ahead of the city hosting Routes World for the first time.
Ray Li Ho-fung, General Manager of Hub Development at the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), highlighted that HKIA is one of the few airports globally that excels in both passenger and cargo volumes.
Li stated that HKIA boasts the most extensive international route network among the five airports in the GBA, adopting a unique model to attract residents of the region to travel via Hong Kong.
International airline companies can effectively tap into the massive market across the GBA by establishing routes in Hong Kong, he said.
He mentioned that seven piers within the GBA offer high-speed ferry services directly to the SkyPier terminal at HKIA, while Zhuhai and Macau also provide direct bus connections. Residents of the GBA can check in for flights departing from Hong Kong at their local port and undergo security checks directly upon arriving at the Airport Restricted Area (ARA), without undergoing immigration procedures.
In addition, HKIA has also established over 30 city terminals across the GBA, providing direct transportation from city centers to the Hong Kong airport.
Li noted that AAHK recorded 14 million tourists traveling to and from GBA via Hong Kong International Airport annually before the pandemic.
Meanwhile, HKIA is expected to leverage the development of route networks to enhance its air cargo capability, despite having maintained its position as the world's busiest cargo airport for 14 consecutive years.
A significant portion of cargo handled by the HKIA is from cross-border e-commerce businesses in Guangdong, with around 70 percent of goods shipped from the Greater Bay Area to international destinations passing through HKIA.
Li added that a logistics park in Dongguan established by HKIA allows goods to be inspected, secured, and packed locally before being shipped to the ARA, significantly reducing logistics time and costs.
"Even for urgent shipments, goods can be delivered rapidly through Hong Kong Airport," Li added.
