Cathay Cargo is leaning on network flexibility, digital tools and cleaner-fuel investment to weather a freight market still being buffeted by shifting trade flows and geopolitical uncertainty, according to Rajesh Menon, the carrier’s regional head for cargo in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Menon said the airline had been able to redeploy capacity towards stronger markets, helping it keep cargo performance steady and support throughput at Hong Kong International Airp...
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ort. He said the carrier intended to keep serving demand wherever it appeared, while sharpening its specialist offerings, technology and sustainability strategy for longer-term growth.
India remains central to that plan. Cathay Cargo said it has served the market for 70 years, with its first flight in 1953, and now operates up to 13 weekly freighter services to Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Menon described India as one of the company’s most promising markets, pointing to opportunities in co-terminalisation, which would allow cargo uplift from multiple Indian cities on a single large freighter and, in the airline’s view, open up more global access for regional manufacturers and smaller exporters.
He also highlighted the kinds of shipments moving through India’s main airfreight centres, including aircraft engines, chemicals, perishables, gems and jewellery, dangerous goods, finished leather, optical fibre and lithium-ion batteries. That mix, he said, reflects the country’s growing role in high-value and specialised exports.
Digitalisation is another pillar of Cathay Cargo’s pitch. The airline says its Cargo Digital Hub brings booking, tracking and after-sales service onto one platform, with about 80% of agents using digital channels. Its Click & Ship booking system, launched in 2021, lets customers check space and prices, then confirm shipments online. Cathay also says it was the first carrier to use IATA’s ONE Record protocol and provide real-time customs clearance updates, while its predictive analytics are used to anticipate demand and improve capacity planning.
On the product side, Cathay Cargo has promoted Ultra Track for pharmaceuticals, perishables and other sensitive shipments, and says it has introduced milestones in Cargo iQ’s Master Operating Plan to improve transparency across the shipment journey.
Sustainability remains part of the airline’s longer-term strategy. Menon said sustainable aviation fuel is a key route for the sector to cut emissions, and pointed to Cathay’s investments and partnerships, including participation in the oneworld Breakthrough Energy Ventures Fund and a co-investment partnership with Airbus aimed at supporting future SAF availability, particularly in Asia.
Looking ahead, Cathay Cargo said the wider airfreight market had shown resilience in 2025, with global tonnage rising by more than 9% year on year in the period it cited. The company expects Asia-Pacific, especially South-East Asia, to remain a major growth area as manufacturing patterns evolve and trade lanes expand.
Source: Noah Wire Services
