Cathay Pacific Group is expecting to achieve the pre-pandemic capacity by the end of 2024. The airline is planning to add over 3,000 flights and reach one-third of capacity by the end of 2022. The Group anticipates operating around 70% of its pre-pandemic flight capacity by the end of 2023 with an aim to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, ahead of the Asia-Pacific traffic forecast issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Chief Executive Officer Augustus Tang said: “The Group is on track to achieve its target of operating up to one-third of its pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels by the end of 2022. This represents a doubling of the capacity that we offered in August and is approximately eight times the average capacity the airline operated in the first half of 2022.
Post the Hong Kong government’s decision to ease the pandemic restrictions, Cathay Pacific started around 3,000 additional passenger flights from October 2022 to December 2022.
“Importantly, we have sufficient pilots, cabin crew, and operational employees to support our current flight schedules, and we are confident that our ongoing recruitment plans will ensure this remains the case throughout the recovery,” added Tan.
The Group remains confident about the long-term prospects for the aviation sector in Hong Kong, as it looks forward to the complete removal of all travel constraints by the Hong Kong Government to facilitate the full resumption of travel activities both to and from Hong Kong that can enhance the city’s hub connectivity. The Cathay Pacific Group comprises passenger airlines Cathay Pacific and HK Express.