Cathay Pacific releases July 2005 traffic figures

Cathay Pacific has released traffic figures for July 2005 that show continued strong passenger and cargo demand as the airline entered the height of the summer season.

In July, the airline carried 1,442,783 passengers, a 13.7% increase year-on-year, as the holiday season got into full swing, and 96,228 tonnes of cargo, up 19.1percent from a year ago. Both passenger and cargo loads grew faster than corresponding increases in capacity. The cargo business was unusually brisk during what is typically a slower time of year.

The average passenger load factor in July was a high 84% with strong support from both business and leisure travellers. The airline carried in excess of 50,000 passengers on five separate days during the month. More cargo shipments from Shanghai routed through Hong Kong, showing the city’s importance as a gateway to the Chinese Mainland for cargo and passengers.

Cathay Pacific General Manager Revenue Management, Sales & Distribution Ian Shiu said, "We would normally expect business traffic to ease during the July holiday season but the front end was as full as Economy, where there was high demand from leisure travellers. Yet high fuel prices continued to take the shine off strong revenue."

See other recent news regarding: Travel News Asia, Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong