Cathay Pacific Reports January 2022 Cargo and Passenger Traffic

(18 Feb 2022)
 Cathay Pacific carried 24,699 passengers in
January 2022, a lower of 18.8% in comparison with January 2021, and a
99.2% lower in comparison with the pre-pandemic stage in January 2019.

The month’s income passenger kilometres (RPKs)
decreased 23.4% year-on-year, down 99% on January 2019. The
passenger load issue elevated by 27.1 share factors to
40.3%, whereas capability, measured in accessible seat kilometres
(ASKs), decreased by 74.8% year-on-year, a drop of 97.9% in contrast
with January 2019 ranges.

Ronald Lam, Cathay Pacific’s Chief Customer and Commercial Officer,
mentioned, “We’ve had a really troublesome begin to 2022 with the
accelerated unfold of the Omicron variant and the additional
tightening of journey and operational restrictions, notably
stricter quarantine necessities for Hong Kong-based aircrew. As a
consequence, Cathay Pacific’s passenger flight capability in January
decreased by about 82% in contrast with December 2021, to about 2.1% of
pre-COVID19 ranges. Meanwhile, passenger numbers dropped to an
common of 797 per day. Load issue was about 40%.

Cathay Pacific A330 reg: B-LBK. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

“Both inbound and transit visitors have been restricted by
the improved restrictions imposed by the Hong Kong SAR Government,
whereas outbound demand additionally remained weak. Passenger visitors in
January was largely generated from ex-Chinese Mainland flights through
the Hong Kong hub to long-haul locations in Australia, the US
and the UK. We additionally noticed some pre-Lunar New Year visitors between
the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong.

“In mild of the extra quarantine measures
imposed on Hong Kong-based aircrew, our cargo flight capability in
January decreased by about 69% in contrast with December 2021, to about
21% of pre-COVID19 ranges. This discount was felt most acutely
on our long-haul frequencies, the place within the first week of January
we needed to cancel all such companies for seven days whereas reviewing
our crew rostering preparations. Since then, we now have solely been
capable of mount restricted freighter flights to the Americas, whereas the
cargo of products to Europe, the Middle East and Southwest Pacific
is being supplied by passenger plane carrying solely cargo.

“Our regional operations remained intact and, as
such, our groups have been capable of place added concentrate on alternatives in
the Chinese Mainland and the area. This resulted in elevated
cargo capability for companies to locations in Northeast Asia and
the Indian subcontinent the place there was good demand previous to the
Lunar New Year holidays.”

The airline carried 74,242 tonnes of cargo in
January, a lower of 31.8% in comparison with January 2021, and a 55.5%
drop in contrast with the identical interval in 2019.

The month’s cargo
income tonne kilometres (RFTKs) decreased 64.4% year-on-year, down 73.6% in comparison with January 2019.

The cargo load issue
decreased by 2.8 share factors to 76.6%, whereas capability,
measured in accessible cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs), was down by
63.1% year-on-year, down by 78.8% versus January 2019.

Looking forward, Mr. Lam mentioned, “In February and past, we’ll
proceed to function a extremely decreased passenger flight schedule
till not less than the top of March in view of the extension of
quarantine measures for Hong Kong-based aircrew, the
flight-specific and place-specific suspension mechanism in addition to
the transit ban by the Hong Kong SAR Government. We will proceed
to attempt to keep up passenger connectivity to key locations
as a lot as attainable, though we’re presently not seeing any
indicators of great restoration in passenger journey demand. We
count on to proceed working about 2% of our pre-COVID-19
passenger flight capability whereas present restrictions stay in
place.

“Regarding cargo, demand in the course of the first half of
February was affected by the decreased manufacturing over the Lunar New
Year vacation interval, although it’s anticipated to progressively
enhance in the course of the second half of the month. In mild of the
ongoing strict crew quarantine necessities, we’ll proceed to
function a decreased schedule for our long-haul cargo operations,
with companies to Europe and the Middle East persevering with to be
served by passenger plane carrying cargo solely, whereas
trans-Pacific frequencies will stay just like January. However,
we now have managed to revive some freighter frequencies to the
Southwest Pacific and we’ll proceed to maximise alternatives
supplied by our regional markets. Overall, our cargo flight
capability is more likely to stay lower than one-third of pre-COVID-19
ranges within the first quarter.

“We are additionally persevering with to help Hong Kong’s
struggle towards the pandemic with vital provides of medical
merchandise. In addition to COVID-19 vaccines, we now have shipped extra
than 5 million Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits (190 tonnes) from
the Chinese Mainland this week, with extra to return.”