Dragonair recorded year-on-year and month-on-month rises in both passenger and cargo traffic in March. Year-on-year passenger numbers for the month jumped 16.57%, with the airline setting a daily record for itself of 12,028 passengers carried on March 29. Year-on-year cargo volumes for March, meanwhile, surged by 66.22%.
The airline carried 274,102 passengers in the month, compared with 235,138 in March 2001. The figure was also 16.26% higher on a month-on-month basis, with 235,774 passengers flown in February 2002.
"These are encouraging figures, and are particularly good because we saw a recovery in the number of passengers travelling at the front of the cabin," said Stanley Hui, Chief Executive Officer of
Dragonair.
"The large number of conferences in the mainland last month, and the WTO effect, have certainly provided a boost to the higher yield front-end traffic."
The airline also added two new aircraft to its passenger fleet in the month.
"With the new additions to our fleet we are able to offer a greater choice of frequencies - and tap into increasing demand for our quality services," Mr. Hui said.
Dragonair saw even higher growth in its cargo figures, with the airline carrying 15,447 tonnes of freight in March, a 66.22% jump over the 9,293 tonnes of March 2001. Month-on-month figures were up 68.05%.
"In the post-Lunar New Year period ex-China shipments have been pushing ahead," said Mr. Hui, "although we don't expect the numbers to continue to be so spectacular in the next few months as we enter a traditionally quieter time for cargo."
Dragonair is a Hong Kong-based airline, operating a fleet of eight A330-300s, four A321s and seven A320s, in addition to two Boeing 747-300 freighters. The airline's passenger network covers 27 destinations across the Asia-Pacific region, while its cargo network connects the markets of Europe, the Middle East, Japan and China. |
