HONG KONG: Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. said on Wednesday it would cut capacity for the upcoming winter season after reporting an 11.3% fall in passenger numbers for August as anti-government protests in Hong Kong hit demand.
The airline said inbound traffic to Hong Kong in August had fallen by 38% and outbound traffic by 12% compared with the previous year, and it did not anticipate September would be any less difficult.
Hong Kong’s finance secretary reported earlier this week that visitor arrivals plunged nearly 40% in August, deepening from July’s 5% fall, as sometimes violent anti-government protests took a rising toll on the city’s tourism, retail and hotel businesses.
The weak demand and cuts to capacity will place more pressure on Cathay at a time when it is grappling with management upheaval and is trying to complete a three-year financial turnaround plan driven by boosting revenue and slashing costs.
“Given the current significant decline in forward bookings for the remainder of the year, we will make some short-term tactical measures such as capacity realignments,” Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Ronald Lam said in a statement.
“Specifically, we are reducing our capacity growth such that it will be slightly down year-on-year for the 2019 winter season (from end October 2019 to end March 2020) versus our original growth plan of more than 6% for the period.”
Cathay has become the biggest corporate casualty of anti-government protests after China demanded it suspend staff involved in, or who support, demonstrations that have plunged the former British colony into a political crisis.
Chairman John Slosar announced plans last week to step down in November, less than three weeks after CEO Rupert Hogg left amid mounting regulatory scrutiny.
Cathay said on Wednesday demand for premium class travel had fallen more significantly than for leisure travel, with demand from mainland China and Northeast Asia severely hit, although Australia and New Zealand were more positive.
The carrier said lower travel demand, an increased mix of transit passengers and the negative impact of a strengthening US dollar had placed passenger yields, a measure of the average fare paid per kilometer per passenger, under further pressure.
“We expect airfares to continue to fall in coming months as Cathay struggles to maintain load factors within reasonable bounds,” BOCOM International analyst Luya You said, in reference to a measure of the percentage of seats filled. “In terms of earnings, the second half may be notably dismal considering plummeting yields across all classes.”
Transit passengers are typically less lucrative for airlines because they face competition from more rival carriers than for non-stop flights, which places pressure on pricing.
The load factor fell by 7.2 percentage points to 79.9% in August, Cathay said. The amount of cargo carried fell by 14% amid a weak global market for air freight and the effects of tropical storms and disruptions at Hong Kong airport.
Cathay Pacific to cut capacity as demand for Hong Kong travel falls
Cathay Pacific to cut capacity as demand for Hong Kong travel falls
- The airline said inbound traffic to Hong Kong in August had fallen by 38% and outbound traffic by 12% compared with the previous year
- The weak demand and cuts to capacity will place more pressure on Cathay at a time when it is grappling with management upheaval
Diriyah Co. partners with Midad to develop Four Seasons hotel in Diriyah
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund-backed developer, Diriyah Co., has signed a joint development agreement with Midad Real Estate Investment and Development Co. to construct the Four Seasons Diriyah Hotel and private residences.
The partnership will strengthen collaboration between the two companies through the development of the luxury Four Seasons Diriyah, which will feature 159 rooms, alongside private Four Seasons residences, spanning approximately 235,000 sq. meters within Diriyah’s master plan.
The project’s total value is projected at SR3.1 billion (approximately $827 million), encompassing both land acquisition and construction expenses.
Midad is one of the Kingdom’s leading real estate developers, expanding its portfolio of high-end projects and maintaining numerous strategic partnerships with prominent global brands, reinforcing its reputation as a trusted name in luxury residential and hospitality development across Saudi Arabia.
This partnership marks the first major collaboration between Diriyah Co. and Midad, supporting Diriyah’s plans to develop 40 luxury hotels across its two main projects: the 14-sq.-km Diriyah Project and the 62-sq.-km Wadi Safar Project, a premium destination that blends lifestyle, culture, and entertainment.
Commenting on the agreement, Minister of Tourism and Secretary-General of Diriyah Co., Ahmad Al-Khatib, said: “The Kingdom continues to set new standards in developing tourism destinations, with Diriyah at the forefront.”
He added that such partnerships enhance the world-class experiences Saudi Arabia offers and strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a leading destination in this sector.
Diriyah Co. CEO Jerry Inzerillo commented that the Four Seasons Diriyah Hotel and Residences will be one of the Kingdom’s largest luxury hotels.
“We are proud to announce this joint development with Midad, one of Saudi Arabia’s top real estate developers. This agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to enabling Saudi partners to contribute to Diriyah’s transformative journey and confirms Midad’s confidence in the opportunities the project presents,” Inzerillo added.
Midad CEO Abdelilah bin Mohammed Al-Aiban said: “This project is a pivotal milestone for our company, allowing us to bring the Four Seasons experience to one of the Kingdom’s most prominent heritage destinations.”
He added: “We are excited to deliver a project that embodies design excellence, world-class service, and sustainable value, while contributing meaningfully to Saudi Arabia’s tourism, cultural, and economic ambitions.”
The collaboration comes amid rapid progress on the SR236 billion Diriyah project, which has awarded construction contracts worth more than SR101.25 billion to date.
Diriyah is expected to contribute approximately SR70 billion directly to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product, create more than 180,000 jobs, accommodate 100,000 residents, and host around 50 million annual visitors.
The development will feature contemporary office spaces accommodating tens of thousands of professionals across technology, media, arts, and education, complemented by museums, retail destinations, a university, an opera house, and the Diriyah Arena.
It will also offer a diverse selection of restaurants and cafes, alongside nearly 40 world-class resorts and hotels distributed across its two primary master plans.
