The overall trend for cargo has been positive overall. In the first half of the year, Cathay Cargo’s total tonnage carried was up nine per cent compared to the same time last year, with June’s year-on-year figures also recording a nine per cent rise. In part, this was due to a strong economic performance in the Chinese Mainland. There, global trade figures saw a double-digit increase for the first half of 2026, with exports up similarly. This led to strong cargo flows not just to the Americas but also between the Chinese Mainland and South East Asia.

While Hong Kong was the world’s busiest air cargo airport in 2025, Shanghai was second, and experienced more than eight per cent growth in tonnage against 2024. With enhanced global trade in the Chinese Mainland and a growing role for air cargo, it made real business sense to have a strong presence at Air Cargo Shanghai, part of the biennial Transport Logistics Shanghai trade show in June. We took an exhibition stand with an anniversary theme that reflected 80 years of expertise, and plans for many more with our digitalisation, fleet and network plans and a focus on our special solutions. Our leadership team attended the event, taking part in a large number of media interviews and customer engagement events. You can read more here.

While our figures are trending positively, we have had two illustrations that this remains a dynamic and operational business. In July, we experienced serious disruption from Typhoon Noul, the first of the year to hit Hong Kong and which closed Hong Kong International Airport for the best part of a day. Huge thanks to everyone who worked hard to minimise the inevitable disruption. Secondly, we have also been impacted by the increase in tensions in the Gulf region.

Unfortunately, that has led to a further deferment in restarting services to the Middle East. Cathay Pacific’s daily passenger flights to Dubai and four-times-weekly flights to Riyadh are now postponed until late October. Our freighter service to Riyadh has been further postponed, and the resumption date continues to be under review.

It has also meant that, due to the subsequent increase in oil prices, we have had to raise fuel surcharges from 1 August 2026. This was the first increase since April. Using the new fortnightly review process, surcharges had previously been reduced multiple times since May. You can check the latest Cargo fuel surcharge rate here.

Looking ahead, we anticipate continued healthy flows across our network, still led by the urgent demand for server racks and chips to fuel AI. At the same time, we will keep an eye on the potential impact on e-commerce flows following the introduction of new customs duties on low-value imports into Europe that could affect volumes from the Chinese Mainland.

A spotlight on SAMEA

Another region that has benefitted from changes to global trade is SAMEA. While the Middle East is currently constrained, India in particular has become something of a trade hotspot. We get the latest market outlook and learn about the team’s latest trade show promotional activity.

Read more: Cathay Cargo’s SAMEA team expertly adapts to new trade patterns

The latest from Toulouse on our new Airbus A350Fs

We recently extended our confirmed order for next-generation Airbus A350F freighters to eight, with options for a further 18, which reflects long-term confidence in the business. The first two test aircraft are starting their test regime with the first flight due later this year. We caught up with Airbus to learn more.

Read more: Getting ready for the next-generation Airbus A350F

Rolls-Royce treatment for a Hong Kong icon

We helped ship a notable piece of automotive heritage earlier this year, flying one of The Peninsula Hong Kong’s Rolls-Royce Phantoms to its new home at the Beaulieu Motor Museum. It was a great way to demonstrate our expertise and precision, and a fitting way for two iconic brands to work together to preserve a Hong Kong legend.

Read more: Five-star delivery for a five-star icon