The Hong Kong Airport Authority (AA) announced on the 28th that the airport handled 4.23 million passengers in April, while the number of aircraft taking off and landing was 29055, an increase of 35.9% and 34.7% year-on-year, respectively. The Civil Aviation Administration stated that benefiting from the long Easter holiday starting at the end of March, there has been a significant increase in passenger traffic and aircraft takeoff and landing, driving up passenger traffic in all categories, with the highest increase recorded in travel to Southeast Asia, mainland China, and Japan. This year, the monthly cargo volume at Hong Kong International Airport has continued to record a double-digit year-on-year increase. The freight volume in April increased by 13.9% year-on-year to 394000 tons, with export freight volume increasing by 24.7% compared to the same month last year, once again becoming the main driving force for the growth of freight volume. In the first four months of this year, the airport passenger volume was 16.9 million, a 67.5% increase compared to the low base of the same period in 2023. The aircraft takeoff and landing volume increased by 55.3% year-on-year to 115285 sorties, while the cargo volume increased by 17.7% year-on-year to over 1.5 million tons. In addition, Hong Kong Airlines opened a new direct service between Hong Kong International Airport and Vientiane Wadai International Airport in Laos in April, offering two flights per week. In the past 12 months, the airport passenger volume has reached 46.3 million, which is a 200.9% increase compared to comparable periods in the past. The aircraft takeoff and landing volume and cargo volume increased by 83.9% and 11.0% year-on-year, respectively, to 317150 sorties and 4.6 million tons. Zhang Li Jiahui, Chief Operating Officer of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, said that she is pleased that the local airline has launched a new route between Hong Kong and Vientiane, which is the first direct flight service to Laos after the epidemic. Laos is located in the core area of Southeast Asia, with superior geography, and is a country jointly built along the "the Belt and Road". Hong Kong International Airport is developing a new direct flight service to Vientiane, Laos, benefiting both business travelers and tourists. (Lai Xin She)