CATHAY PAC AIR (00293) August passenger volume up 5% year-on-year

CATHAY PAC AIR (00293) announced that its passenger volume in August 2026 increased by 5% compared with the same month in 2025, while available seat kilometres rose by 3% year-on-year. In the first eight months of 2026, passenger volume increased by 15% compared with the same period in 2025. Lavinia Lau said: "August built on the strong demand seen in the previous month. Leisure travel demand remained robust during the month, with routes from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland to short-haul destinations performing particularly well. In addition, with the start of the new school year, student traffic to North America and the United Kingdom increased significantly at the end of August. Looking ahead, although September passenger demand is traditionally relatively quiet, demand is expected to pick up as the National Day Golden Week holiday approaches." Cathay Cargo's cargo volume in August 2026 increased by 9% compared with the same month in 2025, while available cargo tonne kilometres rose by 1% year-on-year. In the first eight months of 2026, cargo volume increased by 8% compared with the same period last year. Lavinia Lau said: "In August, cargo demand remained robust across all major markets. The Cathay Special Cargo solution benefited from strong semiconductor transportation demand within Asia, while the Cathay Pharma solution also recorded significant growth in the European and Chinese Mainland markets. In addition, the Cathay Priority solution continued to perform well, reflecting shippers' strong demand to replenish inventory ahead of the traditional year-end air cargo peak season. "Entering September, we were honoured to escort more than 50 star horses from Liege to Hong Kong earlier in the month for their performance in CAVALLUNA, the equestrian theatre show making its first foray outside Europe, demonstrating Cathay Cargo's professional strength in animal transportation. Looking ahead, the launch of new digital products and the arrival of the traditional air cargo peak season will drive demand growth, and the cargo business is expected to remain robust." HK Express carried more than 790,000 passengers in August 2026, a slight decrease of 1% compared with the same month in 2025, while available seat kilometres rose by 3% year-on-year. In the first eight months of 2026, passenger volume increased by 8% compared with the same period last year. Lavinia Lau said: "HK Express's Chinese Mainland routes continued to be highly popular in August. Despite capacity growth, the overall load factor on Chinese Mainland routes remained as high as 90%. The newly launched direct service to Wuxi was well received by customers, driving the overall performance of the Chinese Mainland network. With the summer travel peak coming to an end, demand in September is expected to be relatively quiet. We remain focused on stimulating travel demand across the overall network and optimising capacity deployment."