Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong’s flag carrier and the Chinese mainland’s largest foreign-currency earner in aviation services, reported a 9.5 percent jump in 2025 net profit to HK$10.8 billion (US$1.4 billion) as passenger yields rebounded and cargo demand held firm. The results, released before the Hong Kong bourse opened on 12 March, mark the airline’s second consecutive year in the black after a brutal three-year downturn. Chief executive Ronald Lam credited the recovery to China’s visa-free push—which has expanded to 79 countries—and to the phased relaxation of cross-border health controls. Cathay carried 24.3 million passengers last year, almost triple the 2024 figure. Load factors on its China-mainland network averaged 82 percent, with premium-cabin demand from multinational companies up 31 percent year-on-year. Yet Lam warned that Hong Kong is still operating with “one hand tied behind its back” because several pandemic-era measures—such as on-arrival testing contingency plans and ad-hoc flight-specific capacity caps—remain on the books and could be re-activated at short notice.
![Cathay Pacific posts strong 2025 profit and urges roadmap to end remaining Covid rules]()
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In a separate media briefing picked up by Bloomberg, Cathay called on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government to publish a clear timetable for the complete removal of any residual restrictions so that airlines can plan crews, slot requests and fleet deployments with confidence. The carrier plans to add 10 percent more capacity this year, restoring daily frequencies to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Xiamen and reopening five secondary mainland gateways. It will also take delivery of six Airbus A350-1000s and four Boeing 777-9s, part of a fleet-renewal programme aimed at cutting per-seat fuel burn by 21 percent. Analysts at HSBC note that every 5-percent increase in Cathay’s mainland capacity historically lifts group operating profit by roughly HK$1 billion. For global-mobility managers, Cathay’s lobbying underscores a broader trend: multinational employers continue to face uncertainty when booking travel to and through Chinese hubs. A published roadmap would enable corporates to lock in lower advance-purchase fares and to restart assignment rotations that are still on hold. Companies with significant South China footprints—especially in Shenzhen’s technology corridor—will benefit directly from Cathay’s planned frequency increase and from tighter integration with the high-speed rail network linking Hong Kong West Kowloon to 73 mainland cities. Cathay said it aims to be back at 100 percent of pre-pandemic passenger capacity by mid-2027, contingent on “stable and predictable” border policies. The airline will pay a dividend for the first time since 2019 and has reinstated its profit-sharing scheme for staff, signalling confidence in China’s continued reopening trajectory.
For travelers and corporate mobility teams navigating China’s still-evolving entry rules, VisaHQ offers a fast, digital solution to secure the correct documentation. The platform provides real-time guidance on policy changes, helps users complete visa applications online, and allows them to track progress in one dashboard—greatly reducing administrative burden. Explore the service at https://www.visahq.com/china/
In a separate media briefing picked up by Bloomberg, Cathay called on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government to publish a clear timetable for the complete removal of any residual restrictions so that airlines can plan crews, slot requests and fleet deployments with confidence. The carrier plans to add 10 percent more capacity this year, restoring daily frequencies to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Xiamen and reopening five secondary mainland gateways. It will also take delivery of six Airbus A350-1000s and four Boeing 777-9s, part of a fleet-renewal programme aimed at cutting per-seat fuel burn by 21 percent. Analysts at HSBC note that every 5-percent increase in Cathay’s mainland capacity historically lifts group operating profit by roughly HK$1 billion. For global-mobility managers, Cathay’s lobbying underscores a broader trend: multinational employers continue to face uncertainty when booking travel to and through Chinese hubs. A published roadmap would enable corporates to lock in lower advance-purchase fares and to restart assignment rotations that are still on hold. Companies with significant South China footprints—especially in Shenzhen’s technology corridor—will benefit directly from Cathay’s planned frequency increase and from tighter integration with the high-speed rail network linking Hong Kong West Kowloon to 73 mainland cities. Cathay said it aims to be back at 100 percent of pre-pandemic passenger capacity by mid-2027, contingent on “stable and predictable” border policies. The airline will pay a dividend for the first time since 2019 and has reinstated its profit-sharing scheme for staff, signalling confidence in China’s continued reopening trajectory.
