Cathay Awarded “Cargo Operator of the Year” and “Eco Airline of the Year” at Air Transport World (ATW) 2025

[Cathay] Awarded “Cargo Operator of the Year” and “Eco Airline of the Year” at Air Transport World (ATW) 2025 ​ Cathay Pacific Japan Branch Press release: March 13, 2025 [Cathay] Awarded “Cargo Operator of the Year” and “Eco Airline of the Year” at Air Transport World (ATW) 2025 Cathay Cargo’s cutting-edge technology initiatives earn high praise Cathay leads Asia in the sustainability field
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/79915/111/79915-111-32ed206a2c3f8fd3df844c5dfa2d05bb-3840×2160.jpg Cathay (Headquarters: Hong Kong, Chief Executive Officer: Ronald Lam) has recently won two awards: “Cargo Operator of the Year” and “Eco Airline of the Year” at the 51st Air Transport World (ATW) Aviation Industry Achievement Awards, which recognize airlines with outstanding achievements in various sectors of the aviation industry. Cathay Cargo’s award as Cargo Operator of the Year follows on from its recognition as World’s Best Cargo Airline in 2023. This is the first time for an Asian airline to win the “Eco Airline of the Year” award. Cathay Cargo’s services and solutions are strategic,
state-of-the-art and designed to improve operational efficiency, customer experience and sustainability. This award also recognizes our commitment to innovation and excellence. With sustainability at our core, we are committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and are moving towards more sustainable resource use and circular solutions. The details of the Cargo Operator of the Year award (Cathay Cargo) are as follows: • Cathay Cargo’s innovative intermodal service between Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and Dongguan in China’s Guangdong Province symbolizes Hong Kong’s strategic role as a gateway between mainland China and the rest of the world, pre-loading export cargo in Dongguan and combining sea and air transport to enhance efficiency and connectivity in the Greater Bay Area. • With the introduction of a new API (Application Programming Interface) in 2024, forwarders will be able to access the booking platform “Click & Ship” on their own systems, and “Cathay Courier”, a special solution for small urgent shipments, will be revamped and tracking functionality will be added to individual parcels for express deliveries. • Earlier this year, we became the first airline to implement the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) ONE Record data protocol with our forwarders in some daily operations (one year ahead of IATA’s January 2026 ONE Record implementation target). • Both Cathay Cargo and Cathay Cargo Terminal in Hong Kong have obtained full certification under IATA’s CEIV air transport quality certification program, proving their expertise in handling special cargo. Cathay Cargo Terminal is one of the first cargo handling companies in Asia to obtain IEnvA
certification, an IATA certification program that evaluates
environmental initiatives. • We are committed to empowering our employees and driving innovation to improve the customer experience, and we have implemented digitalization, including the introduction of a digital hub, to ensure timely customer interactions. • Additionally, by introducing the “Cargo Connect” app, information such as assigned tasks, work shifts, and flight schedules can be centrally managed, improving work efficiency and convenience on-site. The Eco Airline of the Year award (Cathay) is as follows: • To accelerate the transition to SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuels), Cathay launched the Corporate SAF Program in 2022, introducing a mechanism for partner companies to help reduce indirect emissions associated with air passenger and air cargo transport. • In 2024, we achieved a record procurement of over 6,050 metric tons of SAF with new partners, establishing our
industry-leading position in Asia and successfully refueling SAF at airports in Hong Kong and around the world. • Last year, we launched the Hong Kong SAF Federation together with the Business Environment Council (BEC), and in cooperation with partner companies across the value chain, we are moving forward with concrete initiatives to promote SAF support policies in Hong Kong, which is a hub. • In addition to addressing climate change, we are actively implementing sustainable and circular solutions in our resource use and are making significant progress. In particular, Cathay Pacific is working to reduce single-use plastics (SUPs) and has successfully reduced the use of passenger SUP products from 7.7 pieces per person in 2019 to 2.6 pieces per person by the end of 2024 (with a target of 1.5 pieces by the end of 2025). • We have also introduced enhanced onboard recycling measures to further reduce the impact of SUP. In particular, to promote the recycling of PET bottles, the most commonly used SUP product onboard aircraft, we have improved our procedures and, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Airport Authority, implemented a pilot program in 2024 to strengthen our collection and sorting processes. Furthermore, from July 2024, the bottled water provided on all Cathay Pacific flights departing from Hong Kong will be replaced with 100% recycled polyester (rPET) bottles, in an effort to further reduce SUP usage. This Aviation Industry Achievement Award win at the 51st Air Transport World follows a number of other awards, including Cathay Pacific being ranked in the top five in the world at the Skytrax and Airline Ratings Awards and winning the World’s Best Economy Class award. “Winning two of the airline industry’s most prestigious awards at the same time is a great achievement and is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire global team over the past year. I am extremely grateful to our employees for their hard work and dedication, without which these two awards would not have been possible. Cargo has long been an important business area for Cathay, and as the largest cargo operator at the world’s busiest airport, we remain committed to strengthening Hong Kong’s position at the forefront of the global cargo industry. Sustainability initiatives are also an area where Cathay strives to continue to lead the aviation industry in its transition to renewable energy. We are extremely proud to have been recognized in these two areas and it motivates us to continue striving to be one of the world’s best service brands.” (Comment from Lavinia Lau, Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer) “We are honored to receive the prestigious title of ‘Cargo Operator of the Year’. This achievement, which is ATW’s second in the past three years, reflects the unwavering dedication of our team and our important role in maintaining Hong Kong as the world’s premier air cargo hub. We take great pride in leveraging our network to transport important cargo. We remain committed to pushing the boundaries of air cargo services and working closely with our stakeholders to establish Hong Kong as the premier gateway between mainland China and cities around the world.” Comments from Tom Owen, Director of Cathay Cargo. “At Cathay, we believe that sustainability challenges are complex and require a collective effort. This award highlights our commitment and the power of our employees, customers, suppliers, business partners, regulators and communities coming together and working together for a more sustainable future.” (Cathay General Manager, Sustainability Grace Chan) Learn more about Cathay’s sustainability efforts below. https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/ja_JP/about-us/sustainability.html [About Cathay] Cathay is a premium travel lifestyle brand that combines travel and everyday life to provide an elevated experience. We provide services in a wide range of areas including flights, hotels, shopping, dining, wellness, and payments. Cathay Pacific is Hong Kong’s flag carrier with over 70 years of history and is a founding member of the oneworld alliance. The Cathay Group consists of low-cost carrier Hong Kong Express Airlines, specialized cargo carrier Air Hong Kong, and a number of other subsidiaries. Cathay Pacific operates over 16 daily flights from Japan to Hong Kong from six airports in five cities: Tokyo (Narita, Haneda), Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo, using A350-900/1000 and A330 aircraft. [About Cathay Cargo] Cathay Cargo is the air cargo division of the Cathay Group and one of the world’s leading air cargo operators.
Headquartered in Hong Kong, we serve over 94 cargo destinations worldwide. In addition to operating 14 Boeing 747-8Fs and six Boeing 747-400ERFs (Extended Range Freighters) as dedicated cargo aircraft, we also use the cargo space of Cathay Pacific’s large passenger aircraft. The cargo division also includes Air Hong Kong, an express freight forwarding company operating in partnership with DHL, which also operates the Cathay Cargo Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport. We also operate as the general cargo sales agent for Hong Kong Express, a low-cost carrier of the Cathay Group. Cathay is part of the Swire Group and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE). Cathay Cargo Website: Official LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cathay-cargo Cathay Pacific website: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/ja_JP.html Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cathaypacific/?locale=ja_JP Official LINE: https://lin.ee/gSwA0GH