HONG KONG, April 17 -- The Airport Authority Hong Kong reported on Thursday a surge in passenger traffic at Hong Kong International Airport during the first quarter of this year, up 15 percent year on year, totaling 14.59 million passengers.

The number of aircraft movements also rose by 11.3 percent, approaching 96,000, while cargo volume grew by 3.2 percent to 1.17 million tons, the report said.

Over the past year, the airport has experienced a remarkable 21.6 percent increase in passenger traffic, reaching 54.94 million. Aircraft movements surged by 20.5 percent to 373,000, and cargo throughput climbed 10.3 percent to 4.97 million tons.

Aviation network expanded further in March, with Cathay Pacific, West Air, and Vietnam Airlines launching new routes connecting Hong Kong with Hyderabad in India, Dali of southwest China's Yunnan province, and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, enhancing connectivity between Hong Kong and both the Chinese mainland and international destinations, the airport authority said.