Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) had a “satisfactory” first half in its fiscal year 2014-2015, according to operator and developer Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK).
In a statement, AAHK reported a revenue increase of 9.3% to HK$8.018 billion (US$1.033 billion) for the first six months of FY 2014-2015 ended 30 September 2014 compared to the same period the preceding year.
Operating profit before depreciation and amortization reached HK$5.584 billion for a 12.3% hike year-over-year, and profit before taxation amounted to HK$4.603 billion for a 20.1% increase.
In the covered period, HKIA handled 32.1 million passengers, 2.19 million tonnes of cargo, and 196,000 flight movements, representing year-on-year increases of 5.5%, 7.4%, and 4.8%, respectively.
“The satisfactory first-half results were due to steady growth in air traffic, prudent financial control over expenses and increasing passenger spending,” said Fred Lam, chief executive officer of AAHK. “Because air traffic volume at HKIA is growing at a faster-than-expected rate, we have been working on a number of projects, including the West Apron and the Midfield, to ensure that the airport is well equipped to meet its anticipated medium-term demand.”
Announced in 2012, the HK$2.2-billion West Apron development is designed to meet rising demand for aircraft parking spaces due to growing air traffic, continuous fleet expansions by airlines, and the introduction of new types of aircraft.
Expected to be completed at the end of 2014, it will offer 28 new parking stands, four of them serving new aircraft types with longer fuselages such as the A380 and B747-8.
The five-level Midfield Concourse, located west of Terminal 1, is a core part of HKIA’s Midfield Development. The concourse will be equipped with 20 new aircraft parking stands. Began in 2011, the construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.
Currently, HKIA handles around 1,100 daily aircraft movements, which is close to the two-runway system’s maximum capacity of 1,200 movements per day.
“We expect that the airport could reach saturation as early as 2016 or 2017,” Lam said. “To maintain HKIA’s leading status as an international and regional aviation centre, as well as the city’s competitiveness, it is crucial that we expand the airport into a three-runway system in order to meet its increasing air traffic demand in the long term.”
Changi posts slight expansion of cargo
As this developed, Singapore Changi Airport said its passenger traffic grew 1.9% year-over-year in October 2014, with 4.49 million passengers passing through the airport. There was a 2.1% increase in airfreight movements, with 159,700 tonnes of cargo handled during the month. Aircraft landings and takeoffs decreased by 3.7% to 28,380.
For the period of January to October 2014, 44.58 million passenger movements were registered at Changi Airport, 1% more than the corresponding period in 2013. Cargo shipments grew by 0.5% to 1.53 million tonnes while aircraft movements were stable at 283,650 for the same period.
Two new airlines, Jetstar Pacific and Malindo Air, launched services recently in time for the 2014 Northern Winter season. Changi Airport strengthened its connectivity to Vietnam with the launch of a new daily service to Ho Chi Minh City on October 27 by Jetstar Pacific.
In addition, Vietnam Airlines started a twice-weekly service to Phu Quoc, a new city link for Changi, on November 2. Malindo Air, a joint venture between the National Aerospace and Defence Industries of Malaysia and Indonesia’s Lion Air, commenced operating three daily services to Kuala Lumpur on November 3.
