Category Archives: Cathay Pacific Airways

Cathay Pacific announces senior management changes

Cathay Pacific Airways announced today the following management changes, effective from 19th August:

Mr. Augustus Tang appointed Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Mr. Rupert Hogg.
Mr. Ronald Lam appointed Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, succeeding Mr. Paul Loo. Ronald Lam will remain Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Express until a successor has been appointed.

The Board of Directors of Cathay Pacific announced that it has accepted the resignation of Rupert Hogg as Chief Executive Officer and Paul Loo as Chief Customer and Commercial Officer. At a Board meeting today, Augustus Tang was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Ronald Lam was appointed Chief Customer and Commercial Officer. The Board of Directors believes that it is the right time for new leadership to take Cathay Pacific forward and that Augustus Tang and Ronald Lam, both of whom are highly experienced executives with long careers at Cathay Pacific, are ideally suited to lead the company.

John Slosar, Chairman of Cathay Pacific, commented, “Augustus Tang and Ronald Lam have the experience and depth of knowledge of aviation and our people to be strong and effective leaders of Cathay Pacific at this sensitive time. Hong Kong is a fantastic home for our airline. It is a world class city and has a premium airport which is the biggest international passenger and cargo hub in Asia. Cathay Pacific has a relentless focus on standards of safety and care, and an unrivalled reputation for customer service.”

Mr. Hogg stated, “It has been my honour to lead the Cathay Pacific Group over the last three years. I am confident in the future of Hong Kong as the key aviation hub in Asia. However, these have been challenging weeks for the airline and it is right that Paul and I take responsibility as leaders of the company.”

Mr. Slosar added, “Rupert Hogg and his team executed the three-year Transformation Programme which has been important to Cathay Pacific’s recovery and provides a strong platform for continued development. However, recent events have called into question Cathay Pacific’s commitment to flight safety and security and put our reputation and brand under pressure. This is regrettable as we have always made safety and security our highest priority. We therefore think it is time to put a new management team in place who can reset confidence and lead the airline to new heights. Cathay Pacific is fully committed to Hong Kong under the principle of ‘One Country Two Systems’ as enshrined in the Basic Law. We are confident that Hong Kong will have a great future.”

Cathay Pacific completes acquisition of Hong Kong Express Airways

Cathay Pacific Airways has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Hong Kong Express Airways (HK Express). HK Express is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer and HK Express Chairman Rupert Hogg said: “We are very excited to welcome HK Express into the group. We strongly believe that the acquisition is good for the travelling public, good for HK Express, good for the Cathay Pacific Group, and good for the development of Hong Kong as a global aviation hub.

“HK Express will continue to operate as a stand-alone airline using the low-cost carrier business model. I would also like to reassure HK Express customers that there is no change to the airline’s operating model and that business will continue as usual. There will be more value fares and more destinations available to travellers.

“We look forward to working with the HK Express teams to ensure a smooth transition and to continue to grow the airline in order to better serve its customers.”

Leading the HK Express team as CEO is Ronald Lam who has worked with the Cathay Pacific Group and HAECO for more than twenty years, most recently as Cathay Pacific Director Commercial & Cargo.

Mr Hogg explained that the acquisition of HK Express is an attractive and practical way for the Cathay Pacific Group to develop and grow its aviation business over the long term, while also enhancing the competitiveness of its Hong Kong home base as a leading aviation hub.

He said: “Our respective businesses and business models are largely complementary. HK Express captures a unique market segment that, together with the extensive network offered by the Cathay Pacific Group, could multiply connection opportunities through Hong Kong. This will bring tremendous benefits to the travelling public with more choices and greater convenience for their travel experience.”

Cathay Pacific delays its first payment to HNA for HK Express

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-1/Airlines-Turkey/ACT-Airlines/i-xZ2b348/A

Cathay Pacific Airways has delayed its first payment to the HNA Group for its HK Express subsidiary.

According to the report by Forbes, the payment was held up due to a questionable purchase of three Boeing 747-400F freighters that have not yet been disposed.

HK Express leased two Boeing 747-400F freighters to ACT Airlines (top) and the third is operated by Suparna Airlines according to the report.

Read the full report.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by the airlines): ACT Airlines Boeing 747-428F ER TF-ACR (msn 32866) IST (Javier Rodriguez). Image: 943472.

ACT Airlines aircraft slide show:

BBC: Cathay Pacific to crack down on “pilferage”

Cathay Pacific Airways is cracking down on “pilferage” of items from its aircraft, including its crew members according to the BBC.

Cathay Pacific agrees to acquire Hong Kong Express (HK Express)

Cathay Pacific Airways has issued this statement:

Cathay Pacific Airways Limited on March 27, 2019 announced it has reached agreement to acquire Hong Kong Express Holding Company Limited for HK$4.93 billion, comprising (i) a cash consideration of HK$2.25 billion payable in cash; and (ii) a non-cash consideration of HK$2.68 billion settled through the issue and novation of promissory loan notes.

Completion is conditional upon certain conditions being fulfilled, including clearances required from relevant competition authorities, consents under relevant contracts of HKE and the termination or variation of certain arrangements between HKE and its related parties.

The performance of the Seller’s obligations under the Share Purchase Agreement is guaranteed by the Seller’s Guarantor.

Upon completion of the Transaction on or before December 31, 2019, HKE will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific.

For more information: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo (all others by HK Express): HK Express Airbus A320-271N WL B-LCN (msn 7512) NRT (Michael B. Ing). Image: 940421.

HK Express aircraft slide show:

Cathay Pacific boosts frequencies to Adelaide, Frankfurt, Madrid and Tokyo

Cathay Pacific Airways is adding more and more destinations to our already expansive global network*, we are also increasing the frequency of services on some of our most popular routes across three continents to give our passengers more choice and greater options.

Frankfurt goes 10 times weekly

Currently served daily from Hong Kong, we’re going to be adding an additional three weekly flights to the German commercial and cultural hub from 31 March 2019, departing Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flight CX283 leaves Hong Kong at 12:30, arriving into Frankfurt at 18:40. The late evening return departure of CX282, meanwhile, allows customers to maximise their time on their final day in Europe. These additional flights will be operated by our Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which feature Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins, Wi-Fi connectivity and our latest inflight entertainment system across all three classes.
Flight schedules between Hong Kong and Frankfurt from 31 March 2019 (all times local):

Flight no	From	To	Departure/Arrival	Days of operation
CX 289	HKG	FRA	0035/0645	Daily
CX 288	FRA	HKG	1345/0650+1	Daily
CX 283	HKG	FRA	1230/1840	Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
CX 282	FRA	HKG	2040/1345+1	Tuesday, Friday, Sunday

Six of the best to Adelaide

The cosmopolitan South Australian capital is the gateway to the state’s flourishing wine region – and we’ll be raising a glass to the addition of a sixth weekly flight from Hong Kong starting 28 October 2018. As well as providing the extra service, which will be operated by Airbus A330-300 aircraft, we will be introducing a new schedule to Adelaide, which sees three weekly flights departing Hong Kong overnight, and three in the morning hours. From Adelaide, return flights will move from an early morning departure to afternoons and late evenings. This split schedule gives customers greater choice and improved connectivity to and from European destinations via our Hong Kong hub.

Flight schedules between Hong Kong and Adelaide from 28 October 2018 (all times local):

Flight no	From	To	Departure/Arrival	Days of operation
CX 175	HKG	ADL	0015/1140	Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
CX 174	ADL	HKG	1300/1920	Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
CX 173	HKG	ADL	0915/2035	Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
CX 176	ADL	HKG	2215/0505+1	Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

Madrid to be made daily

The elegant boulevards, world-class restaurants, historic museums and charming neighbourhoods of the Spanish capital are going to be more accessible than ever before next summer. Between June and October 2019, we’re going to be adding two weekly flights between Hong Kong and Madrid – on Mondays and Wednesdays; turning this five-times-weekly service into a daily operation. The new flights will be operated by our Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Flight schedules between Hong Kong and Madrid between 3 June and 23 October 2019 (all times local):

Flight no	From	To	Departure/Arrival	Days of operation
CX 315	HKG	MAD	0050/0845	Monday, Wednesday
CX 320	MAD	HKG	1230/0705+1	Monday, Wednesday
CX 315	HKG	MAD	0050/0845	Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
CX 320	MAD	HKG	1230/0705+1	Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Topping up Tokyo

We fly more to Japan from Hong Kong than any other airline, and for good reason: the Land of the Rising Sun has long been a firm favourite among our customers and its popularity as a holiday hotspot continues to grow from strength to strength. On the back of increasing customer demand, we will be introducing an additional daily non-stop flight to Tokyo (Narita) from 28 October 2018. Flight CX526 will depart Hong Kong at 0810, arriving into the Japanese capital at 1310. The return service, CX527, leaves at 1420, arriving into Hong Kong at 1845.

Cathay Pacific flies six times daily between Hong Kong and Tokyo (Narita). Details of the new service from 28 October are as follows:

Flight no	From	To	Departure/Arrival	Days of operation
CX 526	HKG	NRT	0810/1310	Daily
CX 527	NRT	HKG	1420/1845	Daily

*Expanding horizons

The Cathay Pacific Group is growing at an unprecedented rate, as we look to boost connectivity for our customers across the world. In 2018 alone, ten new destinations are linked with Hong Kong including Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, Nanning, Jinan, Washington D.C., Cape Town, Davao City, Medan and Tokushima. Another new destination to look forward to is Seattle, which will join the network in March 2019. Watch this space for more destination announcements in the months ahead.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Cathay Pacific): Cathay Pacific Airways Airbus A350-941 F-WZGW (B-LRR) (msn 119) TLS (Paul Bannwarth). Image: 938907.

Cathay Pacific aircraft slide show:

QANTAS and Cathay Pacific to code share

The two airlines have jointly announced:

Cathay Pacific Airways and QANTAS Airways customers are set to benefit from a new codeshare agreement that leverages the strengths of each carrier’s regional networks and provides more options for customers traveling between Australia and Asia.

The codeshare agreement will see QANTAS add its code to Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon’s services within Asia from Hong Kong to 10 cities across India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, and on Cathay Pacific’s long-haul services from Hong Kong to Perth and Cairns*.

In turn, Cathay Pacific will add its code to 13 routes on QANTAS’ domestic network in Australia*.

Customers of both airlines will also have increased opportunities to earn frequent flyer points through their respective loyalty programs.

QANTAS Frequent Flyer members will be able to earn more QANTAS Points and status credits when traveling on the QANTAS-coded flights. Similarly, Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club members will earn more Club Points when travelling on a Cathay Pacific-coded flight.

Cathay Pacific and QANTAS together operate more than 100 services a week between Hong Kong and Australia. As oneworld alliance partners, eligible customers will continue to enjoy access to both Cathay Pacific and QANTAS lounges in Australia and Hong Kong, as well as other oneworld associated lounges across both airlines broader networks.

Tickets for the codeshare services will be available for sale from October 22, 2018, for travel from October 28, 2018.

*Flights subject to regulatory approval.

Codeshare routes

Qantas codeshare on Cathay Pacific / Cathay Dragon routes

Between Hong Kong and Asia

Hong Kong – Bangalore, India
Hong Kong – Mumbai, India
Hong Kong – Calcutta, India
Hong Kong – Delhi, India
Hong Kong – Chennai, India
Hong Kong – Colombo, Sri Lanka
Hong Kong – Danang, Vietnam
Hong Kong – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Hong Kong – Hanoi, Vietnam
Hong Kong – Yangon, Myanmar

Between Hong Kong and Australia

Hong Kong – Cairns
Hong Kong – Perth

Cathay Pacific codeshare on Qantas domestic routes

Adelaide-Melbourne
Adelaide-Sydney
Alice Springs-Sydney
Brisbane-Cairns
Brisbane-Melbourne
Brisbane-Sydney
Brisbane – Townsville
Canberra-Melbourne
Cairns-Melbourne
Cairns-Sydney
Darwin-Perth
Hobart-Melbourne
Melbourne-Sydney

Top Copyright Photo (all others by the two airlines): QANTAS Airways Airbus A330-303 VH-QPJ (msn 712) (Sydney Mardi Gras) SYD (John Adlard). Image: 937063.

QANTAS aircraft slide show:

Cathay Pacific, Boeing to donate world’s first 777 to aviation museum

Cathay Pacific and Boeing announced today that they are donating the first-ever Boeing 777 airplane to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona, one of the world’s largest facilities devoted to celebrating aerospace.

The iconic 777-200 airplane (line number WA001 and registered B-HNL) will fly from Cathay Pacific’s home airport in Hong Kong to Tucson, Arizona on September 18, 2018. The jet will be displayed permanently at the museum alongside more than 350 other historic aircraft.

Boeing first flew the 777-200 aircraft on June 12, 1994 and continued to use it as a test airplane for several years. The aircraft joined the Cathay Pacific fleet in 2000 and was retired in May after 18 years of service. During its time with Cathay Pacific, B-HNL operated 20,519 flights, recording 49,687 hours of flying time.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg said: “As the world’s very first 777, B-HNL holds a very special place in the history of both our airline and that of commercial aviation, and we are very pleased it will soon bring enjoyment to enthusiasts at its new home in Arizona.

“Our 777-200 aircraft have served us exceptionally well over the last two decades, and as we progressively retire these over the months ahead, we eagerly look forward to welcoming the state-of-the art 777-9 aircraft into our fleet from 2021,” he added.

In the 1990s, Cathay Pacific was one of a handful of airlines to provide input for the 777 at the design stage, which gave Hong Kong’s home airline a unique opportunity to refine the aircraft’s features to suit its needs. Among the requests were a cabin cross-section similar to the 747 Jumbo Jet, a modern ‘glass’ cockpit, fly-by-wire system, and, crucially, lower operating costs. Today, Cathay Pacific operates one of the largest 777 fleets in the world.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister said: “Cathay Pacific has been instrumental in the tremendous success of the 777 programme. The airline contributed greatly to the airplane’s original design and has been one of its biggest ambassadors ever since. And now they are a launch customer for our new 777X airplane. We are thrilled to partner with Cathay on this donation to the museum as a way to share the remarkable story of the Boeing 777 for years to come.”

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Cathay Pacific): Cathay Pacific Airways Boeing 777-267 B-HNL (msn 27116) TPE (Robbie Shaw). Image: 943546.

Cathay Pacific aircraft slide show:

Cathay Dragon to operate between Hong Kong and Tokushima in Japan

Cathay Dragon Airbus A320-232 B-HSN (msn 2428) HKG (Javier Rodriguez). Image: 936007.

The Cathay Pacific Group will introduce a scheduled seasonal service from Hong Kong to Tokushima in Japan, as its record-breaking year of network expansion continues.

The new two-times-weekly service to Tokushima, gateway to the island destination of Shikoku, is the 10th route that the Group will have launched in 2018.

The route will operated by Cathay Dragon between December 19, 2018 and March 30, 2019 using Airbus A320 aircraft.

Cathay Dragon has operated charter flights to Tokushima at peak holiday periods in the past and the introduction of a scheduled service underlines the Group’s commitment to this increasingly popular region and Japan as a whole.

Together, Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon currently fly to six destinations in Japan, and the addition of Tokushima to the network gives customers a new region of the country to explore. Open-jaw tickets are available through http://www.cathaypacific.com, meaning customers can also choose to fly to Tokushima and return to Hong Kong from another Japanese gateway (or vice versa).

Already this year, the Cathay Pacific Group has launched services to Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, Nanning and Jinan. Other new routes to take-off this year include Washington DC (on 15 September), Davao City, Medan (both October) and Cape Town (November).

Savour the sights of Shikoku

Blessed with a beautiful coastline and scenic mountain ranges that stretch right across the island, Shikoku has made a name for itself among lovers of the great outdoors and is especially popular with self-drive visitors looking to discover rural Japan. Surfers head to Kaifu Point for some of the country’s biggest waves, while the Yoshino River is famous for quality and size of its rapids, making white-water rafting one of the most popular activities in the area.

Culturally-minded visitors find delight in the Otsuka Museum of Art, the largest permanent exhibition space in Japan, whilst the many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines that dot the region are another draw. The island is also synonymous with fabulous cuisine. Tokushima ramen noodles are justifiably renowned throughout the country, as is Awa odori, lean, free-range chicken which is traditionally grilled.

The waters to the south of the island, meanwhile, are notable for providing some of the world’s freshest abalone and tiger prawns.

Details of the new Tokushima service:

Flight no	From	To	Departure/Arrival	Days of operation
KA 322	HKG	TKS	0930/1400	Wednesday, Saturday
KA 323	TKS	HKG	1630/2010	Wednesday
KA 323	TKS	HKG	1700/2100	Saturday

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Cathay Pacific/Cathay Dragon): Cathay Dragon Airbus A320-

232 B-HSN (msn 2428) HKG (Javier Rodriguez). Image: 936007.

Cathay Dragon aircraft slide show:

Cathay Pacific announces nonstop service from Seattle/Tacoma to Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific Airways has announced it will commence a new nonstop service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on April 1, 2019, becoming the only airline that will directly link Hong Kong with the fastest-growing city on the West Coast.

The four-times-weekly service will see Seattle/Tacoma become the airline’s eighth passenger gateway in the United States, and its 10th in North America.

Cathay Pacific currently serves Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York (JFK), New York (Newark), San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver. A new Cathay Pacific service to Washington, DC will commence on September 16, 2018.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg said the Seattle route, which will be operated by the airline’s state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft, underscores the airline’s expansion strategy to connect new destinations not otherwise served from Hong Kong–and to link its home, one of the most innovative cities in Asia, with tech hubs the world over.

The Cathay Pacific Group is undergoing a period of unprecedented growth, with nine new destinations having already been announced for launch this year.

CX 857 will depart Seattle on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings at 1:05 a.m., arriving in Hong Kong the following day at 5:25 a.m. This early morning arrival allows passengers to connect with every Cathay Pacific flight across Asia—including Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and over 20 gateways in mainland China—without a lengthy layover in Hong Kong. The return flight, CX 858, will depart Hong Kong at 11:55 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, arriving in Seattle at 9:00 p.m. (same day).

(PRNewsfoto/Cathay Pacific Airways)

The airline’s customers will enjoy a superior experience when they fly between Hong Kong and Seattle. Cathay Pacific’s A350-900s are amongst the quietest and most environmentally-friendly aircraft in the sky and are equipped with comfortable seating, an enhanced inflight entertainment system and Wi-Fi connectivity across Business, Premium Economy and Economy classes.

Details of the new Seattle service from April 1, 2019 are as follows (all times local):

Flight no	From	To	Departure/Arrival	Days of operation
CX 857	SEA	HKG	0105/0525+1	Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
CX 858	HKG	SEA	2355/2100	Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday