Dragonair to operate most of schedule in September 2003

Dragonair is to operate most of its planned schedule in September, with 91% of services being flown and only 27 flights not operating.

Among the airline's most popular destinations, frequencies to Beijing, at 49 a week, Taipei, 22 a week, and Kaohsiung, 28 a week, will operate to plan, while services to Shanghai will increase from 60 a week to 67.

"The momentum in passenger numbers is being carried forward, and our schedule is expanding to reflect that," said Chief Executive Officer Stanley Hui. "By the end of the month we should be at levels close to where we hoped to be prior to the SARS outbreak.

He continued: "Yields are at lower levels, but they are going in the right direction as the market begins to settle down again."

In August, Dragonair is operating 82% of its original summer schedule, with only 54 flights cancelled.

Flights to Hiroshima and Sendai in Japan are the only services that remain suspended.

The airline's cargo schedule will continue to operate normally.