HKIA Reports Robust H1 Passenger and Cargo Growth, Retains Major Cargo Hub Title

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) sustained its growth momentum in passenger and cargo throughput during the first half of 2026, with both segments recording year-on-year increases. The airport also reaffirmed its global leadership in air cargo by securing the "Airport of the Year – Major Cargo Hub" award at the World Air Cargo Awards for the second consecutive year.

Hong Kong International Airport, Photo source: reference image

According to the latest traffic figures released by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) on July 20, HKIA handled 32.8 million passengers in the first half of the year, representing an 11.7% year-on-year increase, while flight movements rose 4.4% to 200,685. Cargo throughput remained resilient, climbing 4.1% year-on-year to 2.5 million tonnes.

Photo source: AAHK

On a rolling 12-month basis, passenger traffic grew 12.7% year-on-year to 64.4 million. The Airport Authority noted that passenger growth in June was driven primarily by double-digit increases in transfer and transit passengers. Most regional markets recorded growth during the month, with Japan and the Chinese Mainland posting the strongest performances, while the decline in the Middle East market also narrowed.

Cargo performance was equally robust. Over the past 12 months, HKIA's cargo throughput rose 3.7% year-on-year to 5.17 million tonnes. In June alone, cargo volume increased 6.8% year-on-year to 436,000 tonnes, driven primarily by a 19.5% surge in transshipment cargo; exports and imports rose 3.2% and 5.5%, respectively. By region, the Middle East rebounded after four months of ongoing conflict, recording the strongest growth, while Southeast Asia and the Chinese Mainland maintained their upward trend.

Photo source: AAHK

On the awards front, HKIA was named "Airport of the Year – Major Cargo Hub" at the World Air Cargo Awards 2026 for the second year in a row. The airport also received the “Best Global Airport” at the Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain Awards for the 11th straight year and secured the "Best Airport – Asia (Over 1 Million Tonnes)" award for the second consecutive year.

PHOENIX (AP) — Video footage of two Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tackling a man at the airport in Las Vegas drew public outrage and criticism from elected officials.

One video posted on social media showed a man yelling and crying on the ground in Terminal 3 at Harry Reid International Airport on Monday when a man and a masked woman, both in plainclothes, tried to control, handcuff and detain him. When the pair realized they were being filmed, they walked away, leaving the man with a handcuff attached to one arm.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police found no outstanding warrants for the man, removed his handcuffs and notified ICE.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE officers on Monday did not proceed with the arrest at the Las Vegas airport of Phu Nguyen, a 57-year-old citizen of Australia who overstayed his visa. ICE arrested him at his flight departing the Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said.

“ICE is continuing to act with impunity — instilling fear in our communities and scaring tourists, which hurts our tourism economy,” Democratic U.S. Senator for Nevada Jacky Rosen said in a statement. “Enough is enough. ICE must follow the same commonsense guardrails as other law enforcement agencies."

The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Caucus are calling for a full investigation into the aborted arrest by ICE at Harry Reid International Airport, urging Gov. Joe Lombardo to explain the transparency and accountability for federal law enforcement agencies operating in Nevada.

FILE - People check into their flights at Harry Reid International Airport, Jan. 11, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)