Cathay Pacific Releases Combined Traffic Figures for July 2007

Cathay Pacific Airways today released combined Cathay Pacific and Dragonair traffic figures for July 2007 that show record number of passengers being carried in the first month of the summer peak. Cargo tonnage for the carriers rose over the same month last year, but lagged behind the rise in capacity for the same period.

In July Cathay Pacific and Dragonair carried a total of 2,104,151 passengers, up 2.8% on the same month last year. The passenger load factor was also up - by 1.1 percentage points - to 84.6%, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres, rose by just 0.8% over 2006. For the year to the date the number of passengers carried was up 1.6% compared to a capacity increase of 1.5%.

The two airlines carried a total of 132,947 tonnes of cargo in July, a rise of 4.1% over July 2006, while the cargo load factor dropped by 3.1 percentage points to 66.1%. Capacity for the month, measured in terms of available cargo and mail tonne kilometres, jumped by 10%. For the year to date, combined cargo tonnage rose by 0.2% compared to a capacity rise of 5.4%.

Cathay Pacific General Manager Revenue Management, Sales & Distribution Ian Shiu said: "Passenger numbers for both Cathay Pacific and Dragonair were very healthy in July and we were pleased to see the load factor rising. Corporate demand remained strong and we benefited from a good mix of front-end and back-end passengers. Advance bookings are strong and we expect another solid month in August."

Cathay Pacific Director & General Manager Cargo Ron Mathison said: "There has been a continuing shift to ocean freight and yield is under pressure particularly on our N.E. Asian routes. However, demand out of Mainland China remains very strong and we will add more long-haul capacity to India, United States and Europe in the second half, which should boost tonnage growth."

The full figures are as below:

Note:(i)   Comparative figures excluding Dragonair 2006 traffic / capacity
        (ii)   Comparative figures including Dragonair 2006 traffic / capacity