Cathay Pacific Airways carried 1,094,497 passengers in September, down from 1,268,343 carried during August, according to figures released by the company on Tuesday.

The figures indicated a seasonally slower period for passenger operations but the start of the year-end peak for cargo.

While September's passenger load factor dipped to 75.2 percent from 80.3 percent the month before, the airline carried 83,687 tons of cargo in September, up from 77,395 tons in August, as the year-end peak for the freight business found its stride. The cargoload factor edged up to 69.6 percent from 64.7 percent a month ago.

Cumulatively, over the first three quarters of 2004, the numberof passengers and cargo carried by the airline increased 15.0 percent and 10.6 percent respectively over the same period last year.

Source: Xinhua