Cartoon figures dressed with costumes of clowns and rabbits were greeting the passengers at the departure terminal, giving mascots, plane models and candies to children.

AA staff were on the spot to take instant photos on request, while volunteers of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups were playing the piano to create a pleasant atmosphere at the terminal.

Connie Hon, an AA staff member, said summer is the peak season for the airport and many families will go traveling in summer withchildren.

To create a more pleasant atmosphere of holidays, AA launches this program, in which, cartoon figures will give mascots to children and will be taken photos with passengers on request, while passengers can enjoy piano music played by youth volunteers,she said.

She added it is the third day for the program, which has received good response from passengers.

She said the AA often launches such hosting activities during peak seasons and it used to invite an artistic troupe to give performance in the arrival hall to show welcome to visitors to Hong Kong.

In 2002, the HKIA has won the title of the world's best airportin terms of passenger service by Skytrax Research in London for the second year.

The HKIA is also the world's busiest airport for international air cargo. Earlier this year it was named Air Cargo Airport of theYear by Air Cargo News, a leading international air freight trade publication.

(Xinhua News Agency July 24, 2002)