Bustling hub: A total of 853 flight movements were handled at the Hong Kong International Airport on January 27, setting a new daily record.

A total of 853 flight movements were handled at the Hong Kong International Airport on January 27, setting a new daily record, the Civil Aviation Department says.

It represents an increase of about 10% compared with an average of 775 movements a day, breaking the previous single-day record of 827 flight movements on October 28, 2005, the department added.

There were also 437 flight movements operated through the Hong Kong Flight Information Region on January 27, a significant rise of 23% compared with an average of 355 movements a day.

The increase could be attributed to the heavy travel demand during the Chinese New Year holidays. It also registered a robust growth in the air traffic operating to and from Hong Kong and through the Hong Kong Flight Information Region.

In 2005, a total of 263,400 aircraft movements were handled at the Hong Kong International Airport and the through area traffic rose  to 125,700. They represented annual rises of 11% and 7.5%.