©Reuters. Cathay Pacific employees work at Hong Kong International Airport, in Hong Kong, China, March 8, 2023. REUTERS/Lam Yik/file photo
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways (OTC) on Wednesday reported profit of 9.79 billion Hong Kong dollars ($1.25 billion) for 2023, its first annual profit since 2019, and said it plans to expand its workforce by about 20%, or 5,000 people, this year.
Cathay is embarking on a massive hiring drive as it recovers from the impact of COVID-19 that has resulted in heavy losses for Hong Kong’s flagship airline. It posted a loss of HK$6.6 billion in 2022.
Its shares rose 1.6% ahead of the earnings announcement, their highest level since Aug. 15.
Cathay said it aims to reach 80% of its pre-pandemic passenger flights by the second quarter of this year.
The carrier has been restoring capacity more slowly than its closest rival, Singapore Airlines (OTC:), as it faced stricter quarantine rules for a longer period and had to hire more staff to restore services.
Cathay Pacific is a full-service passenger and cargo airline, with two subsidiaries: low-cost airline HK Express and cargo carrier Air Hong Kong.
($1 = 7.8243 Hong Kong dollars)