Heavy traffic: HK International Airport is one of the world's busiest, with more than 45 million passengers handled in 2006-07.

HK International Airport handled more than 45 million passengers and 3.57 million tonnes of cargo in 2006-07, up 8.5% and 2.8% over a year earlier, the Airport Authority says. Aircraft movements also rose 4.8%, to 283,000.

Propelled by steady regional and international economic expansion and the surging demand for air-transport services, the airport set records in all air traffic figures in 2006-07. Click here to read the figures.

The authority's Hong Kong Commercial Director Hans Bakker said: "To maintain our competitiveness as a regional and international cargo hub, the airport continues to strengthen its air-transport network by adding new destinations and airlines.

"We are delighted to announce that Yangtze River Express Airlines, a Shanghai-based all-cargo carrier, will commence its services on April 17, increasing the total number of airlines operating at the airport to 86. The new airline will start its five-times-weekly service flying the Hong Kong-Hangzhou-Qingdao route," said Mr Bakker.

The airport handled 3.83 million passengers and 24,130 aircraft movements in March, up 8.4% and 2.3% over the same period last year. The cargo throughput in March dropped 5.4%, to 303,000 tonnes.