Exclusive | International Air Transport Association urges Hong Kong government to offer financial relief to airlines hit hard by months of protest turmoil
- International Air Transport Association says financial relief needed to protect industry that supplies 330,000 jobs and 10.2 per cent of city’s GDP
- IATA calls 15.4 per cent drop in passenger departures in August: ‘a steep decline that is almost unprecedented for major markets’
A global aviation body has piled pressure on the Hong Kong government to offer financial relief to airlines hit hard by the protest crisis that has crippled the city since June.
“Maintaining aviation connectivity is critical to Hong Kong,” said the IATA, which represents 290 airlines worldwide or about 82 per cent of all air traffic. “The government should consider financial relief measures to support the 330,000 jobs and 10.2 per cent of GDP [growth domestic product] dependent on the aviation and tourism sector.”
The Airport Authority on Sunday revealed the decline in passenger numbers worsened last month compared to the same time last year. September is typically one of Hong Kong’s quietest months for travel.
Hong Kong’s allure as a business and leisure destination, and as a place to transfer travellers around the world, had declined across the board, the IATA said.
“While passenger numbers were impacted directly by the temporary closures of the airport, more broadly, demand for travel to Hong Kong – as a final (tourism and business) destination and as a connection point – has softened,” according to the IATA research.
Dozens of local and foreign airlines have cancelled routes, reduced the number of flights per week or switched to smaller aircraft.
Airlines’ moves to reduce the number of tickets available on Hong Kong flights suggested the downsizing was expected to be temporary.
“Any further prolongation of the disturbances may induce airlines to more drastically change the amount of services, either in terms of seats and/or frequencies,” said IATA.
The IATA described the trend as “a steep decline that is almost unprecedented for major markets.”
For the year to date, Hong Kong airport had handled half a million fewer passengers, at 55.4 million, against the same period of 2018. The decline comes despite a year-on-year increase of 1.03 million passengers in the first half of the year. Airport officials expect a total decline of 2.24 million travellers in 2019 compared to the previous year.
Hong Kong airport handled 74.6 million passengers in 2018, making it the third busiest air hub in Asia, after Beijing and Tokyo Haneda.