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Air traffic control staff of the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) yesterday (April 20) handled a record number of aircraft flight movements at Hong Kong International Airport to ease air traffic stranded by Tropical Cyclone Neoguri, a spokesman for the department said today (April 21).
Yesterday's 971 flight movements broke the previous record of 945 on Good Friday, March 21.
Aircraft movements at the airport were seriously disrupted during the hoisting of the Tropical Cyclone warning signal and rainstorm warning on Saturday (April 19). A total of 66 flights were diverted to alternate airports, the spokesman said.
There was a surge of air traffic yesterday when stranded aircraft were returning from nearby airports and additional air traffic control staff were called in.
The latest air movement figure exceeded the daily average of 810 movements by 19.8%. A total of 491 flight movements also operated through the Hong Kong Flight Information Region yesterday, making a total of 1,462 flights handled by CAD within a 24-hour period.
"As always, the Civil Aviation Department is committed to providing a safe and efficient air transport system to the travelling public," the spokesman said.
Ends/Monday, April 21, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:30
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