The new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok is now handling about 80 per cent of the normal daily average volume of air cargo, the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, Mr Donald Tong said today (Wednesday).

"This indicates that rapid improvement is being made by the Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (HACTL) on its plan to accelerate the recovery of air cargo handling following the breakdown of its computer system," Mr Tong said.

HACTL is currently able to process 70 per cent of its projected tonnage, while other operators, including Asia Airfreight Terminal (AAT), takes care of the remaining air cargo services.

HACTL has also started to handle one more pallet of general cargo per inbound passenger aircraft, making it a total of two since the first pallet was introduced last Friday. This is in addition to perishables, valuables and urgent materials which have continued to be handled since July 6.

Air cargo throughput on July 28 (HK time) totalled 3,052 tonnes. Of this, HACTL processed 2,255 tonnes, including imports, exports, and express cargo. The throughput for AAT was 797 tonnes, including express cargo.

The passenger service continues to show improvements. During the same period 85,000 passengers passed thorough the airport. Seventy five per cent of all flights left on time or within 15 minutes of schedule, and all flights left within 60 minutes. The average waiting time for baggage was 14 minutes.

For further information, please contact Chief Information Officer, Frank Chuan, at (416) 924 5544.