CX traffic figures
Jul 30, 2025 | 1:22 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: New Zealand
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 409
i think another main reason is UO heavily capacity dumping to every regional destination that was ever possible near HK. the agressive expansion in just these 6 months alone is already insanity, its at least double the pre-covid size. combined with the japan fear im not suprised by this load factor.... suprised it wasnt lower.
UO has caused many foriegn airlines to leave these markets or heavily reduce capacity, because of poor passenger amounts. in the end no one wins....
but it does connect HK with a lot of new nonstop destinations.
UO has caused many foriegn airlines to leave these markets or heavily reduce capacity, because of poor passenger amounts. in the end no one wins....
but it does connect HK with a lot of new nonstop destinations.
Protecting CX from foreign cheaper airlines and kicking them out of the market.
Jul 30, 2025 | 4:21 am
#17
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: HKG, LHR
Posts: 1,622
Curious which routes is UO dumping capacity to the extent that it's forcing foreign airlines to retreat?
They've traditionally been heavily focused on Japan, and the Japanese carriers have little interest in Hong Kong over the years, even before COVID. They can't even match CX from their biggest cities, let alone think of connecting from the secondary ones that UO/HX/Greater Bay are targeting now.
I also don't think the recent slew of new routes to China are stopping Chinese airlines either.
Are SE Asian LCCs such as AirAsia and Vietjet scaling back HK?
They've traditionally been heavily focused on Japan, and the Japanese carriers have little interest in Hong Kong over the years, even before COVID. They can't even match CX from their biggest cities, let alone think of connecting from the secondary ones that UO/HX/Greater Bay are targeting now.
I also don't think the recent slew of new routes to China are stopping Chinese airlines either.
Are SE Asian LCCs such as AirAsia and Vietjet scaling back HK?
Jul 31, 2025 | 12:06 am
#19
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,950
Korean? Its ultra competitive with lots of LCCs and Japan airlines has low interest in HK.
Jul 31, 2025 | 5:41 am
#20
Join Date: May 2023
Location: UK/HK/USA
Programs: BA Executive Club, CX Asia Miles, FlyingBlue, TrueBlue
Posts: 584
I dont think foreign cheap airlines fly from these secondary cities. One key thing that differentiates AirAsia and UO is the availability of Halal meals onboard. They cater to different profiles. The only thing is Vietnamese and Koreans. I dont see lots of Vietnamese in HK and I also dont think its a major air traffic pair.
Jul 31, 2025 | 6:30 am
#21
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: HKG, LHR
Posts: 1,622
Vietnam is also not willing to reciprocate and continues to impose visas on HKers as well as a lot more developed countries compared to Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. They won't be able to grow their inbound visit numbers unless they loosen that up then I'll expect a huge boom from HK to their cities.
Jul 31, 2025 | 6:59 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2025
Posts: 10
Vietnamese are on the increase. The major issue has been visas. Some in the HK government still have bad memories of the Vietnamese refugee crisis, but this is fading as there is a priority to open up to ASEAN. The visa rules for Vietnamese have already been loosened somewhat and there's probably more to come, so it's going to be a growth area.
https://www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/web_t...?id=650-80001#
Aug 7, 2025 | 9:11 am
#23
Join Date: Dec 2023
Programs: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Korean Air Skypass Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles
Posts: 626
Apart from the other factors mentioned, UO is a heavily HK origin passenger focused airline and doesn't get the connecting traffic of CX. The market segment it serves is also lower income (yes maybe comparable after baggage fees etc. but not everyone is paying those). It might reflect that there is not enough spending power at the moment at the lower end of the HK market segment to keep those planes full in comparison to Scoot.
Aug 7, 2025 | 12:17 pm
#24
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: New Zealand
Programs: CX Gold
Posts: 409
HK Express can solve some of their issues by.
selling full service tickets and connections on all their flights to CX.
Like how indigo does in India with their international codeshares partners.
You get higher yields this way.
Unfortunately considering CX is kicking UO out to another terminal i presume it will remain loss making and HK origin focused.
selling full service tickets and connections on all their flights to CX.
Like how indigo does in India with their international codeshares partners.
You get higher yields this way.
Unfortunately considering CX is kicking UO out to another terminal i presume it will remain loss making and HK origin focused.
Aug 7, 2025 | 1:37 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: HKG, LHR
Posts: 1,622
I don't think it's good business model that a premium full service carrier will allow a passenger to pay a "premium", then move him/her to a low-cost carrier for part of the journey where even a bottle of water costs money. So the higher yield comes from tricking the customer on false expectations?
The most successful low-cost carriers out there don't typically facilitate connecting traffic even if both are on their metal. So it's all O&D traffic from their perspective.
The most successful low-cost carriers out there don't typically facilitate connecting traffic even if both are on their metal. So it's all O&D traffic from their perspective.
Aug 22, 2025 | 8:37 am
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2025
Posts: 10
CX + UO traffic figures for July 2025
CX July 25 (CX+KA July 18)
ASK(000): 12,256,459 (13,665,105)
% Change VS July 2024: 29.6%
Cumulative July 2025: 79,048,923 (89,435,486)
RPK(000): 10,533,262 (11,845,091)
% Change VS July 2024: 30.3%
Cumulative July 2025: 67,184,153 (75,655,005)
Passengers carried: 2,489,154 (3,152,973)
% Change VS July 2024: 23.9%
Cumulative July 2025: 16,115,730 (20,637,677)
Load factor: 85.9%
UO July 25
ASK(000): 1,619,321
% Change VS July 2024: 37.9%
Cumulative July 2025: 10,429,733
RPK(000): 1,225,156
% Change VS July 2024: 14.2%
Cumulative July 2025: 8,172,650
Passengers carried: 685,784
% Change VS July 2024: 21.6%
Cumulative July 2025: 4,476,717
Load factor: 75.7%
CX+UO July 25 (CX+KA July 18)
ASK(000): 13,875,780 (13,665,105)
RPK(000): 11,758,418 (11,845,091)
Passengers carried: 3,174,938 (3,152,973)
CX July 25 (CX+KA July 18)
ASK(000): 12,256,459 (13,665,105)
% Change VS July 2024: 29.6%
Cumulative July 2025: 79,048,923 (89,435,486)
RPK(000): 10,533,262 (11,845,091)
% Change VS July 2024: 30.3%
Cumulative July 2025: 67,184,153 (75,655,005)
Passengers carried: 2,489,154 (3,152,973)
% Change VS July 2024: 23.9%
Cumulative July 2025: 16,115,730 (20,637,677)
Load factor: 85.9%
UO July 25
ASK(000): 1,619,321
% Change VS July 2024: 37.9%
Cumulative July 2025: 10,429,733
RPK(000): 1,225,156
% Change VS July 2024: 14.2%
Cumulative July 2025: 8,172,650
Passengers carried: 685,784
% Change VS July 2024: 21.6%
Cumulative July 2025: 4,476,717
Load factor: 75.7%
CX+UO July 25 (CX+KA July 18)
ASK(000): 13,875,780 (13,665,105)
RPK(000): 11,758,418 (11,845,091)
Passengers carried: 3,174,938 (3,152,973)
Aug 22, 2025 | 11:03 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2024
Posts: 325
HK visitors to japan fell 37% in july (100K less people means around 3330 less a day), so that UO load factor is hoenstly higher than i thought. i guess everyone went to other places like SE asia , or further places instead, which is maybe why CX load factor is still doing amazing. also this might be the first time CX group has surpassed 2018 levels.
it is also worth mentioning that other carriers (including HX and HB) carried less passengers than 2024 to HKG, so CX and UO are claiming even more market share.
it is also worth mentioning that other carriers (including HX and HB) carried less passengers than 2024 to HKG, so CX and UO are claiming even more market share.
Aug 23, 2025 | 4:23 am
#29
Join Date: May 2023
Location: UK/HK/USA
Programs: BA Executive Club, CX Asia Miles, FlyingBlue, TrueBlue
Posts: 584
Apropos to the discussion above of UO, just did a short round trip with them to Hanoi. The flight was codeshared with CX which I assume allowed for connections and possibly lounge access, and the planes were full each way.
I bet they could add another service on this route and do well; the early morning flight times clearly didn't deter people but more might want to fly it still with other options.
They could also probably afford not to pad the schedule so much and motivate even more traffic; advertised as 2h but closer to 1.5, it's a route that's not really much longer than Taiwan.
I bet they could add another service on this route and do well; the early morning flight times clearly didn't deter people but more might want to fly it still with other options.
They could also probably afford not to pad the schedule so much and motivate even more traffic; advertised as 2h but closer to 1.5, it's a route that's not really much longer than Taiwan.
Aug 23, 2025 | 4:44 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,658
There is just no competition to CX/UO right now. HX has been a mess for so long that passengers no longer know what to expect of them; no clear strategy on routes, old and run down planes, pricing all over the board. HB is an even bigger mess with terribly-timed cancellations hurting their public image, and despite all the fanfare when they first launched, they are just running 7 planes.