With around 200 more planes flying in and out every week, Hong Kong is back on the world travellers’ road map

Airport Authority (AA) chairman Dr Victor Fung said: "We believe that Sars is well under control in Hong Kong and we should do the right thing to speed up the pace of recovery. Hong Kong, the preferred destination, is now back on the world travellers' road map."

An average of about 200 passenger flights per week resumed services at HKIA last month (June). The number of re-instated flights will further increase in July with an additional 270 weekly flight movements already confirmed to be back in the month's flight schedule.

Cathay Pacific, Dragonair and Thai Airways have confirmed they will resume 470 flights a week. Airlines including Air India, Gulf Air, Mekong Airlines, Pacific Airlines and Turkish Airlines will also resume flights in July, bringing more frequencies back to serve travellers.

Continental Airlines announced in August it will resume its Hong Kong-New York polar route flight, the only non-stop service between the two cities. "We are very excited about it," said Walter Dias, Continental Airlines' staff vice-president for sales and promotion.

"You have two of the premier cities in the world that need to be linked up. Both Hong Kong and New York are global financial centres and many of our customers expect to have an easy way to get between these two places," added Mr Dias.

Since the AA announced its Recovery Stimulation Programme to stimulate traffic growth at the end of May, passenger numbers and aircraft movements have been showing signs of recovery.

Dr Fung said AA had been working closely with business partners to prepare for the revitalisation of Hong Kong's aviation industry. "All of us at HKIA are geared up to offer travellers a very warm welcome the moment they step off their planes." Dr Fung said AA and its business partners were confident that passengers would rebuild their confidence in air travel and "return to Hong Kong in droves, with HKIA firmly on the map as the regional hub".  

Albert Lam, the director-general of the civil aviation department, agreed that "Hong Kong is back on track after the most challenging period in civil aviation history".

"When the WHO announced Hong Kong's removal from the Sars-affected areas, the immediate thought is that outbound/inbound travel will pick up again," Mr Lam said.