Cathay Pacific said it will continue to pursue its cargo business by adding more capacity through 'preighters' and expanding its cargo network next year.

Cathay Pacific's new head of cargo, Tom Owens noted that the freight operation of the Hong Kong flag carrier remains 'largely unaffected' by restructuring efforts within the company as passenger operations remain muted.

"Since I last wrote, there have been significant changes at the Cathay Pacific Group. It has not been an easy time, but our actions ensure that we will emerge more competitive as an airline group when air travel and our customers eventually return," Owens said, noting that the situation "meant a restructuring of many of our employee contracts, a reduction in the number of people we employ, and the closure of the Cathay Dragon brand to match resources with a reduction in future capacity."

"I can report, though, that our Cargo division has been largely unaffected. While we have adapted in anticipation of reduced passenger belly cargo space, we have been flying a full freighter service and are replacing Cathay Dragon metal with Cathay Pacific aircraft on most affected routes," Cathay's cargo chief said added.

To make up for the inevitable shortfall in belly capacity, Owens said Cathay flew "well over 5,000 additional flights," the past months making use of the carrier's cargo-only passenger aircraft and ‘preighters’, as well as its Air Hong Kong fleet.

"This intensity will continue in 2021. We will optimise all the capacity that we can muster, and we will extend our network when opportunity allows," he added.

Expanding cargo network to grow business

This month, Owens said Cathay Pacific flew to Hobart in Tasmania for the first time.

"We have been growing our live animal business as well as carrying more specialist cargo and e-commerce. It’s an example of how we have remained agile and determined to find new markets with our customers," he said.

Looking ahead, Owens noted that the carrier is also focusing its efforts to the shipment of COVID vaccines — saying that the airline has already formed a vaccine taskforce in tandem with the airport authorities in Hong Kong and others industry players to help deliver a global vaccine solution.

"We are ready and determined to play our part in this unprecedented logistics challenge to help the world begin to return to ‘normal’," Owens said.