“We expect to see some increase in demand from mid-September onwards, driven by the shipment of high-tech products from the key manufacturing centers in Mainland China,” Woodrow said in a statement.
August, however, is a traditionally weak month for cargo — “and this year was no exception,” Woodrow said. In addition to reporting sluggish freight volumes, Cathay Pacific and Dragonair saw cargo and mail load factor slide 3 percent, year-over-year, to 61.9 percent, in August. To compensate for lagging demand, the carriers offered 6.1 percent less freight capacity than in August 2011.
Cargo problems have plagued Cathay Pacific and Dragonair all year long. From an eight-month perspective, the combined carriers recorded a 9.6 percent, year-over-year, decline in freight volumes amid a 5.5 percent, year-over-year, capacity drop. Cathay Pacific and Dragonair’s cargo and mail load factor also took a nosedive in the first eight months of 2012, falling 3.7 percent, year-over-year, to 64 percent.
Despite these declines, the carriers have seen an uptick in passenger volumes. Cathay Pacific and Dragonair transported 2,610,150 passengers in August, a 4 percent, year-over-year, increase. This improvement is in line with the higher passenger traffic the carriers have seen throughout 2012; passenger volumes rose 6.7 percent, year-over-year, in the first eight months of the year.
“We expect to see some increase in demand from mid-September onwards, driven by the shipment of high-tech products from the key manufacturing centers in Mainland China,” Woodrow said in a statement.
August, however, is a traditionally weak month for cargo — “and this year was no exception,” Woodrow said. In addition to reporting sluggish freight volumes, Cathay Pacific and Dragonair saw cargo and mail load factor slide 3 percent, year-over-year, to 61.9 percent, in August. To compensate for lagging demand, the carriers offered 6.1 percent less freight capacity than in August 2011.
Cargo problems have plagued Cathay Pacific and Dragonair all year long. From an eight-month perspective, the combined carriers recorded a 9.6 percent, year-over-year, decline in freight volumes amid a 5.5 percent, year-over-year, capacity drop. Cathay Pacific and Dragonair’s cargo and mail load factor also took a nosedive in the first eight months of 2012, falling 3.7 percent, year-over-year, to 64 percent.
Despite these declines, the carriers have seen an uptick in passenger volumes. Cathay Pacific and Dragonair transported 2,610,150 passengers in August, a 4 percent, year-over-year, increase. This improvement is in line with the higher passenger traffic the carriers have seen throughout 2012; passenger volumes rose 6.7 percent, year-over-year, in the first eight months of the year.