Hong Kong-based carrier reports strong year-on-year cargo growth as demand from mainland China and Southeast Asia supports performance ahead of the year-end peak.
Cathay Cargo recorded a strong increase in freight volumes in September, carrying 154,041 tonnes of cargo, up 14.2% compared with the same month in 2025, according to traffic figures released by the Cathay Group.
The growth outpaced the carrier’s capacity expansion. Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs), a measure of cargo capacity, increased by 5.3% year on year, while Revenue Freight Tonne Kilometres rose by 8.6%.
Related Post
Cathay Group Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau attributed the performance to resilient cargo demand, highlighting continued strength in shipments from mainland China and Southeast Asia.
The carrier’s cargo load factor — the proportion of available capacity used — increased by 1.8 percentage points to 58.9% in September. The figures indicate that traffic grew faster than capacity during the month.
Year-to-date volumes remain higher
For the first nine months of 2026, Cathay Cargo carried approximately 1.324 million tonnes, an increase of 8.9% compared with the same period last year.
Available cargo capacity rose by 3.3% year on year over the January–September period, while Revenue Freight Tonne Kilometres increased by 4.7%. The year-to-date cargo load factor reached 58.9%, up 0.8 percentage points.
Specialist cargo products also contributed to performance. The company reported continued momentum for Cathay Priority, supported by time-critical shipments from Southeast Asia, while semiconductor flows underpinned demand for its Cathay Expert solution.
Carrier anticipates stronger year-end demand
Cathay Cargo expects demand to strengthen further as the industry approaches the traditional year-end air freight peak, when retailers and manufacturers typically move goods ahead of the holiday season.
The September results come amid elevated jet fuel prices, which continue to put pressure on airline operating costs. Nevertheless, the combination of higher tonnage, stronger revenue freight activity and improved load factor points to sustained demand across Cathay Cargo’s network.
The latest figures reinforce the importance of Asian export markets to the carrier’s performance as air cargo operators prepare for the final quarter of the year.
