Cathay’s cargo up 1.8% in July

Cathay’s cargo up 1.8% in July    Cathay Pacific carried 97,970 tons of freight in July, up 1.8 percent compared to the same month last year and ahead of a 1 percent rise in capacity.
   The Hong Kong airline’s cargo load factor increased 0.8 points over July 2005 to 68.7 percent.
   For the year so far, Cathay has moved 670,522 tons of cargo, up 9.2 percent from 614,148 tons moved in the same period 2005. The airline’s cargo load factor for the year to date has improved 1.6 points to 66.2 percent.
   “Demand out of Hong Kong and China to long-haul freight destinations remained strong in July, but loads on most routes back to Hong Kong were soft due to strong competition in the market,” said Ron Mathison, Cathay Pacific’s director and general manager cargo. “The month’s performance was buoyed by the launch of a new route to Chennai in India, via Mumbai, and the entry into the fleet of the second of six Boeing B747-400Boeing Converted Freighters.”