Hong Kong airport sees 40 per cent staff increase, local hires top 90 per cent
Hong Kong's transport chief says airport staffing has risen more than 40 per cent to about 75,000 in the first quarter of 2026, with local workers making up over 90 per cent. She urged operators to prioritise local recruitment as demand grows with new facilities.
Hong Kong's Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mable Chan, has told the Legislative Council that the city's airport is seeing a sustained increase in manpower demand as air traffic recovers and new facilities come into service.
During the pandemic, overall airport staffing fell to about 53,000, creating a tight labour supply in the early recovery period, with some frontline workers required to work long overtime hours. Through active local recruitment by the Airport Authority and industry operators, total staffing rose more than 40 per cent to about 75,000 in the first quarter of this year, according to Chan. Local employees account for more than 90 per cent of that total.
Chan said that as the labour supply has gradually improved, overall staffing requirements and working hours at the airport have become more stable.
In a written reply to a lawmaker's question, Chan said the government and the Airport Authority have been monitoring the airport's human resources situation closely. She encouraged airport operators to prioritise local recruitment and to maintain a core team of local employees.
Under the aviation industry's imported labour scheme, the median monthly wages for 10 job categories rose by about 3.4 per cent to 3.8 per cent between July 2023 and November 2025. Chan said the government will continue to review the median wages for those roles and make adjustments as needed.
The Airport Authority, she added, will keep in contact with employers, industry groups and trade unions to understand labour demand and market salary conditions, in order to provide appropriate follow-up and support that matches the airport's overall development and operational needs.
