Cathay Pacific Airways today released traffic figures for June 2004, a month that saw the airline set a new one-day passenger record. It was also the best June on record in terms of tonnage carried for the airline's cargo operation.

In June, the airline carried 1,142,345 passengers, up from 1,064,516 carried in May. Figures were boosted by the advent of successive public holidays that encouraged leisure travellers to take long weekend breaks. The new one-day record was set on 27 June when 45,331 passengers flew with the airline. The old record of 42,824, set during this year's Chinese New Year holiday, was bested on three other days in June.

High passenger numbers were produced by a 79.7 percent average passenger load factor and an increase in capacity, measured in terms of Available Seat Kilometres, or ASKs, which has risen 19 percent in the past two years.

The airline carried 76,769 tonnes of cargo in June, traditionally a quiet period of the year. Although less than the 79,906 tonnes carried in May, it was still the highest June total on record. The cargo load factor was 70.2 percent.

Cumulative figures for the first six months of the year show steady growth. The number of passengers carried by the airline was up by more than half over the same period in 2003, which was heavily affected by SARS, and by about 8 percent on the first half of 2002. The volume of cargo carried in the first six months of the year rose by more than 15 percent over the same six-month period last year and by 13 percent on the first half of 2002.

Cathay Pacific General Manager Revenue Management, Sales & Distribution Ian Shiu said: "Public holidays made a difference, but the key drivers behind the steady growth in passenger business continued to be the upbeat economy and the increase in capacity generated by our fleet and service expansion over the past two years. However, high fuel prices are still inflating costs."

Cathay Pacific Director & General Manager Cargo Ron Mathison said: "An increase in capacity and better than expected demand for this time of year in key markets in Europe and North America gave business a lift. Yet persistently higher operating costs created by rising fuel prices remain a concern."

Cathay Pacific Airways
Corporate Communication Department