Cathay Pacific carried fewer passengers year on year in September, reveals report signalling Hong Kong’s flagship airline could slump to a full-year loss

Airline group saw passenger numbers fall 7.1 per cent year on year in September, with planes only about three-quarters full

Hong Kong airport will unveil its September performance later in the week, which could show a year-on-year loss of around 700,000 passengers

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The Cathay Pacific Group has warned of a “significant shortfall” in advance bookings for the rest of 2019. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:55pm, 18 Oct 2019Updated: 11:28pm, 18 Oct 2019

Hong Kong’s biggest airline recorded its second straight month of falling passenger numbers in September, as a report signalled it could slump into a full-year loss amid violent anti-government protests in the city and severe scrutiny from mainland Chinese authorities.

The Cathay Pacific Group also warned of a “significant shortfall” in advance bookings for the rest of the year, reflecting the extent of the impact from the civil unrest.

Its passenger numbers stood at 2.42 million in September, down 7.1 per cent year on year, and its planes were only approximately three-quarters full – or down 7.2 percentage points to 73.6 per cent.

The National Day holiday period, which typically means big business for Cathay Pacific, turned into a nightmare as travellers from mainland China avoided the airline and the city amid the violence.

Fewer passengers opted to fly to Hong Kong, and the airline saw inbound passenger traffic fall 38 per cent, the same figure as in August. Outbound traffic dropped 9 per cent, compared with 12 per cent last month.