Cathay Pacific added more flights a week from Hong Kong to Dubai, Mumbai and Delhi in its summer schedule.
The extra flights bring to Dubai 20 services a week, Delhi to 14 per week and Mumbai 10 per week, seven of them extending to Dubai.
In addition, a new destination, Chennai, will be added on June 2, with four flights a week. Sister airline Dragonair will also get its first foothold in the important Indian market when it begins a daily flight to technology hub Bangalore on May 1.
Henry Chan, country manager UAE and Oman said, 'We are pleased to be part of the dynamic growth process happening in this region and to offer our best range of products and services. I am sure the additional services between Dubai and our home Hong Kong and our growing presence in the sub-continent will provide the utmost convenience to our passengers especially the frequent business traveller'.
On the cargo front, Cathay added Hanoi in Vietnam and Dhaka in Bangladesh to its freighter network in March. The service will give its customers access to the burgeoning markets of these two fast developing countries, at the same time helping to boost Hong Kong’s position as one of the premier international airfreight hubs.
Cathay had recently increased its freighter services to Dallas and Atlanta in the United States and Mumbai and Delhi in India and more are understood to be in the pipeline for later in the year.
With the addition of Hanoi and Dhaka, Cathay Pacific and its sister carrier Dragonair will together carry cargo to a total of 80 destinations in Asia, the Middle East, Australasia, Europe and North America. The airlines’ freighters will serve 34 destinations.
Cathay Pacific has just taken delivery of the first of six new Boeing 747-400 ERF extended range freighters. It also has 10 of the advanced, fuel efficient Boeing 747-8F freighters on firm order with delivery commencing in 2009.
At the same time Cathay Pacific and Dragonair will begin a phased withdrawal of their older Boeing 747-200F/300F classic freighters.
Cathay Pacific’s wholly owned subsidiary, Cathay Pacific Services, has been awarded a 20 year franchise to invest in, design, construct and operate a new air cargo terminal at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) by the Airport Authority of Hong Kong.
Cathay Pacific will invest a total development cost of approximately $3.5 billion into the design, construction and equipment of the new cargo terminal which will have a designed annual air cargo throughput capacity of 2.6 million tonnes.
The facility is planned to commence operation in the second half of 2011.
The new cargo terminal, which will set new standards in operational efficiency, environmental design and service levels, will be operated at arms’ length from Cathay Pacific Cargo by a separate management team in CPSL.