The cargo segment of Hong Kong’s aviation sector has been doing very well in the first half of the year, the strong performance expected to continue going into the peak season.
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) recorded significant growth in cargo throughput in the first half of 2017 and in June.
From January to June this year, HKIA handled 2.3 million tonnes of cargo, soaring 11.3% over the same period last year. The strong cargo throughput was largely due to higher exports coinciding with an improvement in global trade.
In June, cargo throughput was 410,000 tonnes, representing year-on-year growth of 11.4%. A 17% year-on-year increase in June exports led to high growth in cargo tonnage for the month. Transshipments also registered strong 10% growth. Among key trading regions, Europe and North America saw the most significant increases in June.
On a rolling 12-month basis, cargo throughput increased 9.0% to 4.8 million tonnes year-on-year.
Passenger throughput and flight movements posted more modest growth rates in the first half of the year, climbing 1.3% and 0.9% year-on-year to 35.7 million and 206,560, respectively.
In June, passenger traffic and flight movements reached 5.9 million and 34,590, respectively, representing increases of 0.5% and 2.4%.
On a rolling 12-month basis, passenger traffic and flight movements grew 1.1% and 0.5% to 71.0 million and 413,345, respectively.
Cathay positive about cargo
Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific Airways reported an increase in cargo and mail uplifted by Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon in June year-on-year while noting a decrease in the number of passengers carried for the period.
The two airlines carried 170,476 tonnes of cargo and mail last month, an increase of 12.8% compared to the same month last year. The cargo and mail load factor rose by 4.0 percentage points to 68.3%. Capacity, measured in available cargo/mail tonne kilometers, was up by 4.8% while cargo and mail revenue tonne kilometers (RTKs) increased by 11.3%.
In the first six months of 2017, tonnage rose by 11.5% against a 2.3% increase in capacity and an 8.9% increase in RTKs.
Cathay Pacific general manager of cargo commercial Mark Sutch said cargo business remained robust throughout June and the overall tonnage was healthy.
He noted that their new Tel Aviv service has built good air freight demand, while traffic was healthy between Asia and the U.S., propelled by shipments of fresh produce, specialty goods, toys, and automobile parts.
Furthermore, the company’s two wet-leased freighters are now operating at full capacity and generating good revenues on North American routes.
Looking ahead, Sutch said the airfreight market remains strong and “this should continue through to the start of the traditional high demand season in September.”
On passengers carried in June, the airlines ferried a total of 2.8 million passengers, a decrease of 2.1% compared to June 2016, while capacity increased by 1.6%.
In the first six months of 2017, the number of passenger carried declined by 0.5% while capacity rose by 1.1%.
Cathay Pacific said the airlines’ performance in terms of passenger volume in the first half of 2017 continued to be disappointing. “In particular, strong competition from other airlines put intense and increasing pressure on passenger yield and revenue.”
Photo: Katie Chan
