Hong KongInternationalAirport said a 47 percent surge in exports in April pushed the airport to its largest monthly cargo volume in more than two-and-a-half years, extending a strong resurgence in shipping business at the world’s largest international air freight gateway. Hong Kong handled 354,000 metric tons of freight in April, the strongest volume since November 2007, and 38 percent better than the airport reported the same month a year ago amid the steep downturn in global trade. With some 230,000 metric tons of exports, outbound volume also was the strongest since November 2007. April’s total also was 4.5 percent better than HKG reported in March, suggesting the airport was maintaining the momentum that began when Hong Kong saw the front end of the expedited shipping recovery last fall. Air carriers are responding by pushing cargo aircraft more rapidly through Hong Kong after deep cuts in capacity last year. The 4,080 movements of freighter aircraft in April were 34.7 better than the same month a year ago and included 200 more all-cargo operations than Hong Kong had in March. |