HONGKONG - Passenger traffic and aircraft movements at Hong Kong International Airport set new monthly records in July, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) announced Sunday.

The Hong Kong International Airport handled more than five million passengers and 29,880 aircraft movements in July, up 0.5 percent and 3.4 percent respectively over a year earlier, the AAHK said.

The growth in passenger volume was driven primarily by Hong Kong residents, which rose 6 percent over the same month last year.

Cargo volume declined 1.6 percent to 335,000 tons. Although imports grew by 4 percent in July, the cargo decline was mainly attributed to the 4 percent year-on-year drop in exports, together with a 3 percent decrease in transshipments. Cargo activity with Southeast Asia outperformed other key regions.

Stanley Hui, Chief Executive Officer of AAHK, said both passenger and air traffic movements have once again set records, and he believes the growth trend will continue in the coming months.

During the first seven months of the year, the airport recorded 5.9 percent and 5.4 percent year-on-year growths in passenger volume and aircraft movement, reaching 32.7 million and 201,760, respectively. Airfreight handling declined 0.2 percent to 2.3 million tons during the period.