The Cathay Group reported another month of strong recovery, announcing on 24 November that its airlines carried more than 3.2 million passengers in October—up 21 per cent on September and 29 per cent year-on-year. Passenger load factor hit 85.8 per cent, the highest for any October in recent years, buoyed by China’s Golden Week, regional expos and rising premium-cabin demand.
Cargo volumes also climbed 6.4 per cent year-on-year to 151,000 tonnes, propelled by time-sensitive e-commerce and fresh-produce flows into the Chinese mainland. Cathay Cargo expects the momentum to continue through the traditional peak to Christmas, citing strong bookings on trans-Pacific and intra-Asia lanes.
![Cathay Group posts 21 % passenger surge and expands network ahead of festive rush]()
Network-wise, Cathay Pacific has just launched daily Changsha flights and reinstated Adelaide (three-times weekly), while budget arm HK Express will add Kota Kinabalu this month. Combined, the group will offer about 330 weekly returns to the mainland, 100 to Oceania and 430 to Southeast Asia during the northern-winter schedule—approaching 80 per cent of pre-pandemic capacity.
For corporate mobility managers, the uptick translates into greater seat availability and more nonstop options for secondary Chinese and Australian cities. Forward bookings for December show particularly strong traffic from North America and Europe as Hong Kong diaspora plan return trips.
Yet challenges remain: the carrier is still recruiting pilots and ground staff to restore full pre-COVID schedules, and fuel prices remain volatile. Nevertheless, analysts say the latest traffic data bolster Cathay’s aim to reach 100 per cent of 2019 capacity by end-2026, reinforcing Hong Kong International Airport’s hub status within the Greater Bay Area.
Cargo volumes also climbed 6.4 per cent year-on-year to 151,000 tonnes, propelled by time-sensitive e-commerce and fresh-produce flows into the Chinese mainland. Cathay Cargo expects the momentum to continue through the traditional peak to Christmas, citing strong bookings on trans-Pacific and intra-Asia lanes.
Network-wise, Cathay Pacific has just launched daily Changsha flights and reinstated Adelaide (three-times weekly), while budget arm HK Express will add Kota Kinabalu this month. Combined, the group will offer about 330 weekly returns to the mainland, 100 to Oceania and 430 to Southeast Asia during the northern-winter schedule—approaching 80 per cent of pre-pandemic capacity.
For corporate mobility managers, the uptick translates into greater seat availability and more nonstop options for secondary Chinese and Australian cities. Forward bookings for December show particularly strong traffic from North America and Europe as Hong Kong diaspora plan return trips.
Yet challenges remain: the carrier is still recruiting pilots and ground staff to restore full pre-COVID schedules, and fuel prices remain volatile. Nevertheless, analysts say the latest traffic data bolster Cathay’s aim to reach 100 per cent of 2019 capacity by end-2026, reinforcing Hong Kong International Airport’s hub status within the Greater Bay Area.
