Seoul’s Incheon airport took second place with 55.8 million passengers, 79 per cent of its 2019 stage.

Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok was third with 40 million passengers, 75 per cent of what was recorded pre-pandemic. Hong Kong ended final yr with 39.5 million passengers by the airport, 55 per cent of 2019 ranges.

It dealt with 71.5 million passengers in 2019 and had persistently held the No 1 spot earlier than the pandemic hit. Taiwan Taoyuan airport was fifth with 35.4 million passengers, posting a restoration charge of 73 per cent.

Hong Kong’s restoration charge was the bottom amongst Asia’s high 10 worldwide airports, having reopened later than different main hubs because it maintained its Covid-19 restrictions for longer, in step with mainland China.

Nevertheless, final December the airport recorded 75 per cent of the passengers it did that very same month in 2019, helped by a bounce from the standard festive season enhance in visitors.

Steven Yiu Siu-chung, an govt director on the Airport Authority, earlier informed the Put up that Hong Kong was prone to restore its passenger visitors to pre-pandemic ranges by the top of the yr.

However Sobie Aviation founder Brendan Sobie warned towards over-optimism. He stated it was too early to say whether or not Hong Kong’s passenger visitors ranges for particular person months would attain 2019 ranges by the top of this yr and that loads trusted the variety of flights from home carriers, in addition to international airways.

Hong Kong Airport Authority ‘assured’ visitors can hit 2019 stage this yr

“Hong Kong could be very reliant on the Cathay Pacific Group assembly its objectives for capability,” Sobie stated. “Cathay Pacific is within the technique of doing plenty of hiring … if that slowed down, then Hong Kong as a hub can be impacted.”

Cathay and its funds arm HK Categorical have set a goal of returning to full passenger flight capability by the top of 2024.

The corporate final month stated it might cancel 12 flights a day on common till the top of February, which the airline stated was designed to make sure easy operations over the Lunar New 12 months vacation, amid a scarcity of skilled pilots.

Abroad carriers have a restricted capability in planes and staffing, so this yr they are going to be “chasing markets the place the demand is highest”, Sobie stated.

The Board of Airline Representatives of Hong Kong earlier stated about 20 per cent of its 72 members had not but restarted flights to town as of final December.

Sobie added that Hong Kong reaching fourth spot final yr was a big achievement given expectations for passenger quantity in the beginning of the yr and its late reopening to journey.

He predicted Hong Kong’s airport would finish 2024 nonetheless behind Seoul’s Incheon – which is predicted to be the busiest airport in Asia this yr – and Singapore’s Changi. However Hong Kong may doubtlessly regain the highest spot in 2025, he added.

Hong Kong air passenger numbers hit 75 per cent of pre-pandemic figures

Gary Ng Cheuk-yan, a senior economist with Natixis Company and Funding Financial institution, predicted town would solely attain 100 per cent of pre-pandemic passenger ranges in 2025 on the earliest.

He highlighted obstacles to carriers hiring pilots and cabin crew which prevented them from growing the availability of flights sooner.

“We’re on target, however I’m not too certain in regards to the pace of restoration,” Ng stated.

He agreed that the mainland’s financial slowdown meant folks weren’t incomes as a lot, in order that they had been much less prone to splash out on abroad journey.

Ng stated Hong Kong’s air fares and lodging prices remained excessive in contrast with many different Asian cities, which might additionally dent demand as travellers would decide to go to Thailand or different locations, which had been cheaper.

However Ng stated a vivid spot was that enterprise journey would proceed to enhance all year long, with extra conferences being held within the metropolis.

He stated it was important for town to spice up its tourism business.

“If the federal government is ready to create extra conferences or various kinds of occasions then it provides extra causes for folks to go to Hong Kong within the short-run,” Ng stated. “However, structurally talking, I do really feel Hong Kong wants to seek out its area of interest and its attraction in attracting folks again to town.”