Hong Kong sister carriers Cathay Pacific and Dragonair demonstrated a notable increase in cargo tonnage in December compared to the same month in 2013.
The two airlines carried 156,603 tonnes of cargo and mail last month, an increase of 12.2% compared to December the previous year. Cargo and mail load factor rose by 4.9 percentage points to 68.2%.
Capacity, measured in available cargo/mail tonne kilometers, rose by 6.6%, while cargo and mail revenue tonne kilometers (RTKs) flown were up by 15%. For 2014 as a whole, tonnage rose by 12%, while capacity was up 10.4% and RTKs increased by 14.8%.
“Following on from a strong November, demand for cargo shipments remained robust right up until the beginning of the Christmas holidays in key markets,” said Mark Sutch, Cathay Pacific general manager of cargo sales and marketing.
“Traffic was again driven by strong demand out of Hong Kong and Mainland China, particularly on transpacific routes, and we also saw solid shipments on the main intra-Asia lanes. Demand fell away when the holidays kicked in, as expected, though the markets began to pick up again from the second week of January.”
Support for state’s aviation develop plans
Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific Airways said it welcomes the commitment made by Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive C Y Leung in his recent policy address that the government will continue to adopt measures to improve Hong Kong’s standing as an international aviation and logistics hub to boost the city’s long-term competitiveness.
In his annual policy address for 2015, Leung stated: “The Government will continue to give full support to the Airport Authority (AA) to implement the three-runway system project at the Hong Kong International Airport. The project aims to strengthen our position as an international and regional transportation hub.”
He said that with the AA completing the study on the master layout plan for the airport’s North Commercial District, it will soon begin the first stage of retail development, as well as take forward the planning and development of the land reserved for cargo use at the South Cargo Precinct of the airport island.
“We are encouraged by the Government’s support for the development of a third runway at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), which is crucial for the sustainable growth of Hong Kong’s aviation industry and maintaining Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s premier aviation hub,” said Cathay Pacific chief executive Ivan Chu.
He added: “The planning and development of land reserved for cargo use at the airport island will also consolidate HKIA’s status as the world’s number-one hub for international air cargo.”
He said the group also supports the government’s study on developing Hong Kong’s aerospace financing business to enrich the city’s strength as an international aviation and financial center.
Cathay Pacific also expressed support for the various proposed initiatives to develop the East Lantau Metropolis and Tung Chung New Town Extension with the upcoming completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and other important transport links.
“The bridge and road links will help turn Tung Chung into an important transport hub connecting Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region, while the development of the new town will help to ensure the provision of vital manpower resources for the many aviation companies operating on the airport island. These are all positive measures in terms of the development of the aviation sector,” Chu added.
Photo: russavia
