More choice and flexibility with daily flight from Gatwick from 1 June; Manchester to receive the new Airbus A350 and increased frequency to five flights weekly from 2 June.
Responding to customer demand, two of Cathay Pacific’s routes between the UK and Hong Kong will this week see a boost in frequency. Gatwick will move to a daily service whilst Manchester increases to five flights per week. Cathay Pacific’s Manchester service will also join Gatwick in becoming an Airbus A350-900 operation. Both routes have previously operated four flights per week.
Gatwick
Moving to a daily operation from 1 June, this boost in frequency highlights the popularity of Cathay Pacific’s Gatwick route since its launch last September. Featuring the Airbus A350-900, Cathay Pacific is the only airline to provide a non-stop service connecting Gatwick and Hong Kong.
Together with the airline’s services from Heathrow, Cathay Pacific will now operate six daily non-stop flights between Hong Kong and London– more than any other carrier.
Manchester
Cathay Pacific’s Manchester route, which launched in December 2014, will add one additional flight per week to Hong Kong, increasing the operation to a five-times-weekly service from 2 June. The schedule will then move to a daily service from 1 December 2017.
From June the A350 will replace the Boeing 777-300ER on all flights to Manchester, making it Cathay Pacific’s second route in the UK, after Gatwick, to receive the technologically-advanced aircraft.
New aircraft: Airbus A350—900
Featuring the airline’s newest products in Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class, the A350 encapsulates Cathay Pacific’s brand promise of a “Life Well Travelled”. In addition to the latest seats and an enhanced inflight entertainment system, the aircraft is Wi-Fi equipped, meaning passengers can stay connected throughout their journey.
Improved connectivity
From June, Cathay Pacific will operate a total of 47 non-stop flights per week between the UK and Hong Kong seeing Heathrow offering five flights daily, Gatwick moving daily and Manchester providing five flights weekly. By December 2017, frequency will further increase to provide a choice of 49 flights weekly, as Manchester joins Gatwick to offer a daily flight.
Cathay Pacific has also reopened its newly renovated lounge at Heathrow – the only lounge on its expanding global network outside of Hong Kong to offer separate First and Business Class areas – to wide acclaim.
Paul Cruttenden, Cathay Pacific’s Marketing & Digital Sales Manager in the UK, said: “We are delighted to be increasing our schedule from Gatwick and Manchester to Hong Kong. The additional frequencies coupled with the introduction of the ultra-efficient A350 on our Manchester route, underline the deep-rooted commitment we have to providing both business and leisure passengers with increased convenience and superior in-flight products. These enhancements will give travellers even more reasons to choose Cathay Pacific. The UK is a very important market for us, one which we have served for over 35 years”.
Guy Stephenson, Chief Commercial Officer, Gatwick Airport, said: “The success of Cathay Pacific’s Gatwick service speaks for itself. The service has gone daily less than a year after launch, which reflects the strong ongoing demand to fly from Gatwick to Hong Kong – an important gateway to Asia and particularly China.
“Cathay Pacific is one of the world’s premier airlines and both their customer service and the new Airbus 350-900 is a particular draw for our passengers. Increasing the convenience and flexibility with daily flights only adds to the attractiveness of this service and I expect to see demand for this route go from strength to strength.”
Stephen Turner, Commercial Director at Manchester Airport, said: “It is incredibly pleasing to see Cathay Pacific upgrade its aircraft to the A350. This ultra-modern and efficient aircraft is a clear commitment to providing the best service to passengers from the North.
“In just a few years the Hong Kong route is performing extremely positively and allows the 22m people in our catchment area easy, direct access to Hong Kong and beyond.
“It continues to unlock economic opportunities and trade between the two regions and I am sure the newer aircraft and additional frequency will be welcomed by business and leisure passengers alike.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
