Cathay Pacific Airways today released traffic figures for September that show steady passenger growth at the end of the summer peak period. Cargo growth continued to exceed capacity increase.

Last month the airline carried a total of 1,302,902 passengers, up 4.6% on September 2005. The passenger load factor was up by 0.2 percentage points to 76.6% while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres, was up 5.9%. Figures for the year to date show passenger numbers up 8.8% and capacity up 8.9% over the corresponding period in 2005.

The amount of cargo carried by the airline in September was 106,604 tonnes, a 6.3% gain on the same month last year. Capacity, measured in available cargo/mail tonne kilometres, rose by 5.9% over September 2005. The cargo load factor for the month rose by 2.6 percentage points to 71.3%.

Cathay Pacific General Manager Revenue Management, Sales & Distribution Ian Shiu said: "Following a strong peak season from June through August, the good load factor was driven by the return of business traffic and the end of school holidays. The outlook for remainder of the year looks stable."

Cathay Pacific Director & General Manager Cargo Ron Mathison said: "Once again tonnage grew marginally faster than capacity. The week ending 30 September set a record for Cathay Pacific with 26,890 tonnes of freight uplifted, driven by extremely strong before and after the National Day holiday. Throughout the month, demand out of southern China and Shanghai was very strong, particularly to the East Coast of the United States. We also introduced two new services, to Toronto and Stockholm. As a result, the outlook at the start of the peak season is reasonably optimistic."

Cathay Pacific Airways
Corporate Communication Department