Last week, Cathay Cargo took out the award for “Cargo Airline of the Year” at a gala dinner in Istanbul at the 49th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards produced by Air Transport World (ATW).
The coveted award pays tribute to Cathay Cargo for overcoming major operational challenges in 2022, as well as for its growth, investment, innovation and ambition to become the world’s most customer-centric air-cargo service brand.
Excellence in airline operations
The awards recognise notable points of excellence across a broad range of airline operations and are selected by a panel of editors and analysts at ATW, Routes, Aviation Week and CAPA.
While the award winners were announced earlier this year, the gala dinner on Friday, 2 June enabled representatives from the recognised airlines to collect their awards and celebrate their achievements in person.
Speaking about this year’s winners, ATW Editor-in-Chief Karen Walker said: “The final selections illustrate the strength of the market recovery across the air transport industry, and it is particularly heartening to see that also reflected among airlines in the Asia-Pacific region.”
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The post-pandemic recovery period has thrown up numerous challenges for airlines globally as they struggle to re-establish both fleet and route networks. In addition, world economic and geopolitical events have also played a role in influencing that recovery.
This is meant that many carriers have been forced to innovate and adapt to a ‘new normal’.
A recognition for innovation and adaptation
Cathay Cargo was recognised for continuing to grow, innovate and adapt through some of the most challenging restrictions.
It revamped its Priority solution and launched its refreshed Cathay Pharma solution to meet customer demand and continued to digitise processes and services.This including the launch of its digital booking platform Click & Ship.
In addition, the carrier extended its Fly Greener carbon-offsetting initiative to cargo shipments; and opened its dedicated Pharma Handling Centre at the Cathay Cargo Terminal at its Hong Kong hub.
Cathay Pacific Director Cargo Tom Owen said: “We are honoured to be recognised with this major award decided by so many industry experts, and we are very grateful to Air Transport World.”
“It reflects the progressiveness of our cargo colleagues around the world in responding to the needs of our customers and their can-do spirit in delivering operational excellence.”
“Already this year, we have kept up the momentum by introducing Cathay Mail, which brings greater shipment visibility to our postal customers, and inaugurating commercial multi-modal shipments from our extended home base of the Greater Bay Area.”
“I am delighted that our efforts have been recognised in this way. It is a testament to the hard work of the whole team, including pilots, planning and engineers, who have all come together to help us to realise our vision of becoming the world’s most customer-centric air-cargo service brand.”
Number one cargo hub status
Collecting the award on behalf of Cathay Cargo, General Manager Cargo Service Delivery Frosti Lau said: “Being recognised with this major accolade at these prestigious awards gives us the confidence that we are heading in the right direction.”
“This award is all the more pleasing given that Hong Kong has now fully reopened, and also retained its number one cargo hub status. As Cathay Cargo relaunches our brand, we are in an excellent position.”
Since the award announcement earlier in the Spring, Cathay Cargo has been announced as the host airline for the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) World Cargo Symposium 2024.
This will bring together air cargo professionals from around the world to discuss the latest trends, challenges and opportunities in areas including technology and innovation, security and customs, cargo operations, and sustainability.
