HONG KONG-BASED Cathay Pacific Airways has released results for the whole of 2006, which show both cargo and passenger growth remaining above the airline's rise in capacity.

For the year as a whole, the carrier transported 16,727,757 passengers, up 8.4 per cent on the previous year and ahead of a cumulative passenger capacity increase for the year of 7.7 per cent. The load factor for the year was 79.9 per cent.

In December 2006 Cathay Pacific carried 108,842 tonnes of cargo, a rise of 3.7 per cent in the same month a year ago and above a 3.6 per cent gain in capacity, measured in available cargo/mail tonne kilometres. There was no growth in the cargo load factor during the month, a statement from the airline said.

"Our performance in December was helped by the recent launch of a twice-weekly Beijing freighter service and five extra flights a week to and from Shanghai, where demand remains strong," said Cathay Pacific cargo director and general manager Ron Mathison.

During 2006 Cathay carried 1,198,703 tonnes of cargo, an increase of 7.2 per cent compared to the volume airlifted in 2005. Capacity growth lagged behind at 5.2 per cent.

A total of 1,495,023 passengers were flown in December, up 5.9 per cent on the same month in 2005. The passenger load factor was 81.2 per cent, up one percentage point year on year, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres grew by 3.3 per cent.

"December was a good month and business was particularly strong over the Christmas holiday peak. The load factor was high at 81.2 per cent and we were pleased to see demand in the front end holding up," added Cathay Pacific revenue, sales and distribution general manager Ian Shiu.