HONG KONG - THE volume of cargo handled at Hong Kong International Airport dropped 18.7 per cent in November compared to the previous year, the latest sign of the reduced demand for exports, officials said.

The airport, a key port for goods being transported from the southern China manufacturing belt to global markets, handled 296,000 tonnes of cargo in November, airport figures released on Sunday showed.

Passenger numbers also fell during the month, dropping 5.6 per cent year-on-year to 3.8 million.

The number of overall flights in and out of the airport fell 1.3 per cent during the period, the airport said in a statement.

The disappointing cargo figures were due to a steep decline in demand from North American markets, as well as in Europe, south-east Asia and Taiwan, it added.

Passenger numbers were hit hardest in the long-haul sector, but there was also a significant fall in travellers from mainland China and across south-east Asia.

The closure of Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport at the end of the month, which saw 230 flights cancelled because of anti-government protests also led to the year-on-year drop.

'While the rapid and drastic reduction of fuel costs has brought considerable relief to airlines, the aviation industry is facing harder times with negative market sentiment and shrinking demand for services,' Mr Stanley Hui Hon-chung, chief executive officer of the Airport Authority, said.

'We believe the market is not likely to rebound soon, and a continued decline in air traffic is expected in the coming months, reflecting the continued impact of economic slowdown in major economies worldwide.'

Cargo tonnage over the first 11 months of the year dropped 0.6 per cent compared to the previous year, while passenger volume grew 2.4 per cent over the same period. -- AFP