Cathay Pacific Airways today released combined Cathay Pacific and Dragonair traffic figures for May 2008 that showed a positive growth in the number of passengers carried by the two airlines, though failing to keep pace with the increase in capacity. The increase in cargo tonnage, however, was higher than the capacity rise.

In May the two airlines carried a total of 2,107,610 passengers - an increase of 15.1% over the same month in 2007. However, there was a 16% rise in capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs). The month's load factor was up 2.3 percentage points to 77.4%. For the year to date, the number of passengers carried has risen by 13.9%, which was equal to capacity growth.

Cathay Pacific and Dragonair together carried 140,698 tonnes of cargo and mail in May, up 7.8% on the same month last year, outperforming the 6.5% growth in cargo capacity, measured in available cargo/mail tonne kilometres. The cargo and mail load factor rose by 1.1 percentage points to 67%. For the year to date, cargo tonnage has risen by 7.5% compared to a capacity rise of 7.8%.

Cathay Pacific General Manager Revenue Management, Sales & Distribution Ian Shiu said: "May is generally one of the quieter months for passenger traffic so we were pleased to see the number of passengers carried almost keeping pace with the rise in capacity. Looking ahead, we are cautiously optimistic about passenger demand as we head towards the summer peak season."

Cathay Pacific Director & General Manager Cargo Ron Mathison said: "May is usually an off-peak month for cargo but we still achieved a healthy growth over the same month last year. The main problem continues to be the continuing rise of jet fuel prices which is having a serious impact on the bottom line of our freighter operations."