As the Hong Kong SAR government further eases entry restrictions, Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong International) is hanging on to its ambition of restoring the territory's airport to its former global aviation hub status. This is despite the airline's latest (November) monthly passenger stats being 80% down on October 2019 levels and Hong Kong airport passenger numbers still running at about 13% of 2019 levels.
"The Group remains fully committed to rebuilding the connectivity of the Hong Kong international aviation hub," a Cathay Pacific December 13 media statement declared. "We are on track to achieve our target of operating up to one-third of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels by the end of 2022. We anticipate that we will be operating around 70% of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity by the end of 2023, with the aim to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024."
According to ch-aviation PRO airlines data, Cathay Pacific is presently operating 104 of its 188 aircraft. Cathay Pacific Group also includes HK Express (UO, Hong Kong International), which is currently flying 13 out of 26 aircraft. Across the two airlines, the group said it had added approximately 3,000 flight sectors this quarter and resumed flying to Tokyo Haneda, Denpasar, Penang, Zurich, Fukuoka, Sapporo Chitose, and Dhaka. In early 2023, Cathay Pacific intends to resume flights to Phuket and Nagoya Chubu.
