Cathay Pacific releases strong traffic figures for October 2023 (+320%)

Cathay Pacific and HK Express jointly operated over 9,000 passenger flights in October 2023, a significant milestone post-pandemic. Cathay Pacific carried 1,684,700 passengers, marking a 320.2% increase from October 2022. The airline also observed a rise in cargo volumes. Increased business travel and leisure demand contributed to higher passenger volumes, particularly in premium cabins and regional leisure destinations.

Cargo demand strengthened, driven by e-commerce, with expectations of rising demand for fresh produce and continued e-commerce shipments in the coming months.

The company anticipates reaching 70% of pre-pandemic passenger flights covering 80 destinations by December 2023. The aim is to reach 95% of pre-pandemic passenger numbers by the end of 2023, focusing on facilitating travel to and from Hong Kong.

Despite ongoing industry challenges like recruitment and supply chain issues, Cathay Pacific expects a profitable second half of 2023, marking their first profitable year since 2019.