Only bright spot at Hong Kong airport: cargo terminal buzzing, thanks to spike in demand for medical supplies worldwide
- Cargo usually sent by passenger planes now being diverted to freighter aircraft
- Main cargo terminal operating at ‘close to peak’ level, with every plane fully loaded
Huge demand for medical kits and equipment amid the Covid-19 pandemic is keeping one of the world’s leading air cargo terminals busier than usual.
Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) said it was handling close to a record number of cargo planes daily, something it usually experienced during the November-December peak freight season each year.
A major reason for the sharp increase in business is that cargo usually sent by passenger planes has had to be diverted to freighter aircraft, as airlines worldwide have cut flights drastically or stopped flying altogether.
Operating out of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), Hactl’s SuperTerminal One stores cargo and moves freight on and off planes.
It does not expect the surge in business to last, given the threat of a global recession. Its chief executive, Wilson Kwong Wing-tsuen, told the Post demand for goods would shrink if recession kicked in, and that would hit the cargo business.
“Many countries outside China are affected by the pandemic, and that will definitely affect their consumption patterns,” he said.
