Cathay Pacific passenger numbers increased to 1.7 million passengers in December 2023, up 122.1% from a year prior. For the full year 2023, Cathay Group (Cathay Pacific and HK Express) carried more than 20 million passengers, up around 15% on 2022 numbers.
"There was an overwhelming demand for travel to short-haul leisure destinations, with Japan and Southeast Asia being especially popular," said Cathay Pacific chief customer and commercial officer Lavinia Lau.
December 2023 saw passengers from the Chinese mainland increase 375.5% versus December 2022. In the same period, North East Asia and South East Asia improved 106.5% and 104.4% respectively.
Lau added: "We saw good demand for travel from the United States and the Southwest Pacific in the first half of December. The demand for travel from the United Kingdom was particularly strong as it coincided with the peak period for international students returning to Hong Kong." Southwest Pacific and North America passengers increased 81.8% and 78.7% respectively in December 2023. Europe passengers rose 56.9% in December 2023.
Cathay Pacific's December 2023 revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 89.3% year on year. Passenger load factor decreased by 2 percentage points to 81.2%, while available seat kilometres (ASKs) increased by 94% year on year. In the full year of 2023, the number of passengers carried increased by 541.5% against a 326.8% increase in ASKs and a 396.8% increase in RPKs, as compared with 2022.
Furthermore, the airline carried 128,546 tonnes of cargo in December 2023, an increase of 20.7% compared with December 2022. The month’s cargo revenue tonne kilometres (RFTKs) increased 14.1% year on year. The cargo load factor decreased by 6.5 percentage points to 60.8%, while available cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 26.3% year on year. In the full year of 2023, the tonnage increased by 19.6% against a 59.7% increase in AFTKs and a 40.3% increase in RFTKs, as compared with 2022.