Cathay Group carries record 3.6 million passengers in August

Dhaka: The Cathay Group carried more than 3.6 million passengers in August, marking a monthly record for Cathay Pacific and HK Express as strong summer travel demand boosted the group’s passenger business.

The combined figure was 4 percent higher than a year earlier, while Cathay Cargo handled more than 150,000 tons of freight, up 9 percent year over year, according to the group’s latest traffic report.

Cathay Pacific carried 5 percent more passengers than in August 2025, with available seat kilometers rising 3 percent. Passenger numbers for the first eight months of the year were 15 percent above the corresponding period last year.

Lavinia Lau, Cathay’s chief customer and commercial officer, said leisure demand remained strong, particularly on short-haul routes from Hong Kong and mainland China. Student travel to North America and the UK also increased toward the end of August.

Cathay Cargo reported a 9 percent increase in tonnage, while available freight tonne kilometers grew 1 percent. Semiconductor shipments in Asia and pharmaceutical cargo from Europe and mainland China contributed to demand.

HK Express carried more than 790,000 passengers, down 1 percent from a year earlier despite a 3 percent increase in capacity. Its mainland China network recorded a 90 percent load factor.

The group said September demand typically softens after the summer peak, although cargo activity is expected to strengthen ahead of the year-end season.