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Cathay Pacific
has confirmed it is to launch a direct non-stop service and extra flights to Toronto, Canada, and additional flights to Auckland
in New Zealand.
From 1 January 2008, Cathay Pacific's service from Hong Kong to Toronto, currently routed through Anchorage, will become a daily
non-stop flight. The introduction of the non-stop service will trim 2 hours 25 minutes off the current flying time. The flight will initially be
operated by an Airbus A340-600 but from February the airline will progressively introduce its new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on the route
featuring Cathay Pacific's new three-class long-haul product.
At the same time as launching the direct non-stop service,
Cathay will keep three weekly flights with a stopover in Anchorage, departing
every Monday, Thursday and Saturday. This will take the number of flights to Toronto to 10 each week.
In order to match demand over the winter
peak period, from 1 December 2007 to 29 March 2008, Cathay Pacific will be operating a twice-daily
service to Auckland. For the summer schedule, effective 30 March to 25 October 2008, the airline will operate 10 scheduled flights a week to
the New Zealand city, which means three more flights will be added each week compared to the summer schedule in 2007.
The additional flights will enable Cathay Pacific to leverage on the significant growth in Mainland China visitors to New Zealand, connecting
with its sister carrier Dragonair's extensive Mainland network through the Hong Kong hub.
Cathay Pacific's Director Corporate Development, Augustus Tang,
said, "The enhancements of our services to Toronto and Auckland will be a
real boon for our customers. In particular, passengers to and from Toronto will welcome the new non-stop service and the impending
introduction of our 777-300ER aircraft and innovative new inflight product on the route. Cathay Pacific will continue to enhance its products
and services as part of its commitment to further building Hong Kong's position as one of the leading international aviation hubs."
The Toronto and Auckland enhancements come on top of recently enhanced services to Vancouver, New York, San Francisco, Melbourne,
Perth, Adelaide and Tokyo. Cathay Pacific is continuing to grow its fleet with a total of 48 aircraft due for delivery by 2012. Five of 30 new
777-300ERs on order will have joined the fleet by the end of 2007, all fitted with the new three-class long-haul product. The product is also
being retrofitted onto the airline's existing long-haul fleet.
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