Cathay Cargo handled over 150,000 tonnes of freight in October
The growth was fueled largely by specialised shipments, particularly perishables and time-sensitive goods.;
Cathay Cargo handled over 150,000 tonnes of freight in October, a 12% increase from September and a 6.4% rise year-on-year compared to October 2024, signaling a robust start to Q4.
According to the airline, demand remained healthy across key global markets despite various regional holidays. The growth was fueled largely by specialised shipments, particularly perishables and time-sensitive goods.
Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said, “In October, momentum continued to strengthen... with growth observed across most regions. We saw robust demand for our Cathay Fresh solution, driven by the transport of fresh produce from Southeast Asia and Oceania to Hong Kong, as well as chilled salmon from South America to the Chinese Mainland.”
Lau further said, “Our Cathay Priority solution also recorded solid growth from Southeast Asia and the Greater Bay Area, reflecting robust demand for time-sensitive shipments ahead of the festive season and year-end sales events,” she added.
Capacity and operational efficiency
The latest figures reveal a continued shift in how the airline deploys capacity. Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs) rose by 7.8% to 1.38 billion, outpacing the 5.6% increase in revenue freight tonne kilometres (RFTKs).
This capacity expansion is largely attributed to the restoration of passenger flight frequencies, which has increased available belly-hold space.
Consequently, Cathay Cargo was able to grow volumes while simultaneously reducing dedicated freighter flight sectors by 1.7%. This divergence highlights improved operational efficiency, as the carrier successfully maximised passenger network capacity and optimised the utilisation of its existing freighter fleet.
Because capacity growth slightly outpaced demand, the cargo load factor saw a marginal decline of 1.2 percentage points, settling at 60.3%.
In the first ten months of the year, Cathay Cargo carried a total of 1,367,079 tonnes, representing a 9.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Cumulative capacity (AFTK) has risen by 8.5% year-to-date, with the load factor averaging a healthy 58.4%.