ENG-2005 — Page 330

284 Transport

Air Traffic in 2005

It was another record-breaking year for HKIA. A record high of 40.74 million passengers (including 930 000 in transit) passed through the airport during the year, representing an increase of 9.7 per cent over 2004. Aircraft movements increased by 11 per cent to a total of 263 352. Air cargo throughput also set new records: the airport handled 3.4 million tonnes of air cargo, representing an increase of 10 per cent over 2004. The corresponding value also increased by 17 per cent to $1,568 billion.

Air transport continues to play an important role in Hong Kong's external trade. Goods carried by air accounted for 37.7 per cent, 38 per cent and 30.2 per cent in value terms of Hong Kong's total imports, exports and re-exports respectively in 2005.

Home Market Extension

Improving connections with the PRD through the development of a range of transport links remains one of the major strategies of the Airport Authority which plans to extend the airport's catchment area to cover the entire PRD region with its population of over 40 million. During the year, about 1.34 million transit passengers used the authorities cross-boundary ferry service between the airport and five PRD ports. Passengers on these ferries do not have to go through customs and immigration procedures in Hong Kong before they board international flights, which results in significant savings in total travel time. The Airport Authority further enhanced the service in November when it launched an upstream check-in service at Shekou Port. Transit passengers can now check in their luggage at Shekou and travel baggage-free to the airport for their onward journey to overseas destinations.

The cross-boundary coach services are another major transport link between. HKIA and 40 destinations in the PRD. In 2005, about 1.5 million passengers travelled between the airport and the PRD by the 200 daily coach services.

HKIA continued to work closely with airports on the Mainland to explore cooperation opportunities that would improve the integration of passenger and air cargo flows in the region. During the year, the Airport Authority acquired a 35 per cent interest in Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport at a cost of around $1.89 billion.

Airport Services

HKIA fulfils the ever-increasing expectations of customers by offering the highest standard of service. The airport's shopping mall, Hong Kong SkyMart, gives customers a shopping experience equal to any high-end downtown shopping mall. SkyMart is currently home to a wide array of over 200 shops and restaurants, including 25 top- line brand names.

Indeed, HKIA itself is one of the Hong Kong's most successful brand names. thanks to the dedication and commitment of the whole airport community. For the fifth year in a row, it was voted Airport of the Year (2005) in a poll conducted by UK Skytrax Research.

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