Cathay Pacific Airways recorded an attributable profit of 1.67 billion HK dollars (US$214 million) during the first half year, 101 million HK dollars (US$12.9 million) less than last year's same period.

Cathay Pacific announced on Wednesday that turnover during the first six months increased by 4.23 billion HK dollars (US$541 million) to 23.88 billion HK dollars (US$3.06 billion),as the airline carried 7.3 million passengers and 517,920 tons of cargo, up from 6.4 million passenger and 469,909 tons of cargo carried in the first half of 2004.

The airline expanded its fleet and extended services during the period, taking delivery of a Boeing 747-400 freighter, one B777-300 and two Airbus 330-300 passenger aircraft. A further A330-300 was delivered in July.

Also in the first six months of this year, new and additional passenger services were added to Amsterdam, Beijing, Denpasar, Frankfurt, Ho Chi Minh City, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Nagoya, Perth, Xiamen along with 12 weekly freighter services to Shanghai. Later this year the airline will inaugurate new freighter services to Atlanta and Dallas and a fourth daily passenger service to London.

Cathay Pacific further cemented its strategic partnership with Air China by signing accords to code share on flights to and from Beijing and to participate in the frequent flyer programs.

"While forward bookings are encouraging, the high price of fuel, which could yet dampen world growth, may well make it difficult for us to achieve a similar result in the second half," Cathay Pacific Chairman David Turnbull said on Wednesday's press conference, noting this year the airline has already won a number of major international service awards, including the Airline of the Year 2005.

"Delivering superior service and value for money remains our focus as we continue to expand our network and strengthen Hong Kong as a global aviation hub," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2005)