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Cathay Pacific expects lower first-half loss on cost savings, cargo flights

Cathay Pacific expects lower first-half loss on cost savings, cargo flights

FILE PHOTO: A Cathay Pacific cargo aircraft flies over Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, Oct 20, 2020. (Reuters/Lam Yik)

HONG KONG: Cathay Pacific Airways said on Friday (Jun 18) that losses in the first half are expected to be "somewhat" lower than last year, due to cost-saving measures and strong demand for cargo flights.

Crew quarantine measures have eased since mid-April and that helped Cathay operate 24 per cent more freighter flights and 18 per cent more cargo-only passenger flights in May compared to April, the airline said in a statement.

"Our losses in the first half of 2021, while still very substantial, are expected to be somewhat lower than the losses reported in both the first and second halves of 2020," the airline said in a statement.

Cathay reported a first-half net loss of HK$9.87 billion (US$1.27 billion) last year and a net loss of HK$11.78 billion in the second half.

Cathay said it is "cautiously" adding more passenger flights and destinations, and plans to operate at around 30% of its pre-pandemic passenger capacity by the fourth quarter.

While passenger numbers climbed 30 per cent in May to 24,006, the airline said they remain 99% per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels.

Around 90 per cent of its pilots and 64 per cent of cabin crew in Hong Kong have either booked or received a COVID-19 vaccination, the company added.

Source: Reuters

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