HONG KONG, March 11 : Cathay Pacific Airways posted a 9.5 per cent rise in full-year profit on Wednesday driven by a strong passenger traffic recovery and robust cargo demand and said it planned to lift capacity this year despite geopolitical volatility.
Net profit at Hong Kong’s flagship airline rose to HK$10.83 billion ($1.38 billion) for the year ended December 31, beating LSEG SmartEstimate’s HK$10.05 billion prediction and topping the HK$9.89 billion recorded in 2024.
Cathay Chairman Patrick Healy said the airline expected to grow passenger capacity by around 10 per cent this year as it added frequencies and destinations to its network, which would also boost cargo capacity.
However, the airline faces headwinds from the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has disrupted global aviation operations, increased jet fuel costs and led some airlines to raise fares and boost fuel surcharges.
“The prevailing global geopolitical environment is volatile, causing unexpected shifts in passenger and cargo traffic flows as well as jet fuel prices,” Healy said in a statement.
Revenue climbed 11.9 per cent to HK$116.8 billion in 2025, driven by a 15.8 per cent surge in passenger revenue as Cathay has been expanding its long-haul network to North America and Europe. The carrier flew 28.9 million passengers during the year, a 26.5 per cent increase from 2024, achieving an 85.2 per cent load factor.
This marked Cathay’s third consecutive annual profit following three years of losses over the pandemic, during which it made heavy layoffs.
($1 = 7.8261 Hong Kong dollars)
