Cathay traffic down almost 100pc compared to pre-pandemic times

Dhaka: The Cathay Pacific Group November 13 released its combined traffic figures for October which state Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon (which ceased operations on October 21) carried a total of 38,541 passengers last month, a decrease of 98.6 percent compared to October 2019.

The month's revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) fell 98 percent year-on-year. Passenger load factor dropped by 59.3 percentage points to 18.2 percent, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASKs), decreased by 91.6 percent.

This continues to reflect the airlines' substantial capacity reductions in response to significantly reduced demand as well as travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in place in Hong Kong and other markets amid the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.

In the first 10 months of 2020, the number of passengers carried dropped by 84.6 percent against a 76.5 percent decrease in capacity and an 82.6 percent decrease in RPKs, as compared to the same period for 2019.

In terms of cargo, the two airlines carried 114,346 tonnes of cargo and mail last month, a decrease of 37.6 percent compared to October 2019.

The month's revenue freight tonne kilometers (RFTKs) fell 30.2 percent year on year. The cargo and mail load factor increased by 10.4 percentage points to 78.3 percent, while capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometers (AFTKs), was down by 39.4 percent.

In the first 10 months of 2020, the tonnage fell by 34.3 percent against a 35.4 percent drop in capacity and a 27.3 percent decrease in RFTKs, as compared to the same period for 2019.