Airport nosedives

[FarCenter]

Source: The Standard -- Hong Kong


Mandy Lo and Sanchez Wang

Monday, December 15, 2008

November cargo traffic throughput at Hong Kong International Airport was heavily hit by the threatening global recession, slumping 18.7 percent compared with a year earlier - the largest drop since Chek Lap Kok commenced operations in April 1998. Meanwhile, passenger traffic fell 5.6 percent last month.

"We believe the market is not likely to rebound soon, and a continued decline in air traffic is expected in the coming months, reflecting the continued impact of the economic slowdown in major economies worldwide," said Airport Authority chief executive Stanley Hui Hon-chung.

As international trade continues to shrink under the financial crisis, cargo exports to North America recorded the strongest decline, followed by Europe, Southeast Asia and Taiwan, airport statistics released yesterday show.

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"November is traditionally the peak season for air cargo, ahead of Christmas. There was no peak season this year," said Citi analyst Anil Daswani.

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Read more: http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=75750&sid=21895729&con_type=3

[Ghost Dog]

1. Yup. Did some say, around here, "Shut it down"?

Looks like we're shutting it down, for real.

In midwinter. :(

[windbreeze]

3. Yup...some did...

including myself....but this was NOT in the context it was meant...back in the young 80's...when Reagan was after the Air Controller's Union...was the time to have "shut it down"...for say....24 hours....the people still held the power then...but...unfortunately...they did NOT use it to their advantage...now, sadly....we begin to see the result...just mo, of course...wb

[Ghost Dog]

4. Absolutely right.

That's exactly what we're used to seeing our French friends and neighbors doing very effectively, over here.

Strike: the well-organised temporary withdrawal, on behalf of realistic demands, of labor, is a blunt-edged but very powerful weapon.

Better to wield it sooner rather than later. Timing is important. It seemed almost unbelievable, back then, that Reagan got away with it.

[MercutioATC]

2. Air traffic is down everywhere.

Pre-911, my facility was the busiest in the world. We worked over 3.2 million planes a year.

We're just going to break 2.5 million this year.