Cathay Pacific 2015 Annual Report Download - page 89

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Annual Report 2015
87
29. Financial risk management
In the normal course of business, the Group is exposed to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, interest rates and jet
fuel prices. These exposures are managed, sometimes with the use of derivative financial instruments, by the Treasury
Department of Cathay Pacific in accordance with the policies approved by the Finance Committee.
Derivative financial instruments are used solely for financial risk management purposes and the Group does not hold or
issue derivative financial instruments for proprietary trading purposes. Derivative financial instruments which constitute
a hedge do not expose the Group to market risk since any change in their market value will be offset by a compensating
changeinthemarketvalueofthehedgeditems.Exposuretoforeignexchangerates,interestratesandjetfuelprices
movements are regularly reviewed and positions are amended in compliance with internal guidelines and limits.
(a) Credit risk
Management has a credit policy in place and the exposure to credit risk is monitored on an ongoing basis. The
Group normally grants a credit term of 30 days to customers or follows the local industry standard with the debt in
certain circumstances being partially protected by bank guarantees or other monetary collateral.
Trade debtors mainly represented passenger and freight sales due from agents and amounts due from airlines for
interline services provided. The majority of the agents are connected to the settlement systems operated by the
International Air Transport Association (“IATA”) which is responsible for checking the credit worthiness of such
agents and collecting bank guarantees or other monetary collateral according to local industry practice. In most
cases amounts due from airlines are settled on net basis via an IATA clearing house. The credit risk with regard to
individual agents and airlines is relatively low.
To manage credit risk, derivative financial transactions, deposits and funds are only carried out with financial
institutions which have high credit ratings and all counterparties are subject to prescribed trading limits which are
regularly reviewed. Risk exposures are monitored regularly by reference to market values.
At the reporting date there was no significant concentration of credit risk. The maximum exposure to credit risk is
represented by the carrying amount of each financial asset, including derivative financial instruments, in the
statement of financial position and the amount of guarantees granted as disclosed in note 28 to the financial
statements. Collateral and guarantees received in respect of credit terms granted at 31st December 2015 is
HK$1,373 million (2014: HK$1,413 million).
The movement in the provision for bad debts in respect of trade debtors during the year is set out in note 16 to the
financial statements.
Notes to the Financial Statements Supplementary Information