Cathay To Resume 70 Percent Of Capacity By 2023

Cathay Pacific said on Monday that it expects to get back to 70 percent of pre-Covid passenger capacity by the end of next year, and full capacity by the end of 2024.

Hong Kong’s flag carrier also said it’s on track to provide a third of its pre-pandemic flight capacity by the end of this year.

"We are taking a measured and responsible approach to managing our own road to recovery, with a need to address challenges that are unique to Hong Kong," the group's outgoing chief executive officer, Augustus Tang, said in a statement.

He noted that Hong Kong's quarantine constraints are unique and the SAR's borders have been closed for much longer than other markets.

Tang said he’s confident that ongoing recruitment efforts will bring in enough pilots, cabin crew and operational employees to support an increase in flights.

He added that the firm remains confident in the development of the local aviation sector.

The airline had been hit hard by the pandemic, requiring a HK$39 billion bailout from the SAR government two years ago.