DRAGONAIR ADDS FLIGHTS TO POPULAR HOLIDAY SEASON DESTINATIONS

Dragonair will be adding extra flights and using larger aircraft to its top Christmas and New Year holiday destinations to meet demand, with Phuket, Kota Kinabalu and Sendai in Japan the travel hotspots for 2001.

“Following the events of September 11, people are heading places where they can get away from it all, relax and have fun,” said Andy Tung, General Manager Marketing & Sales.

“There are no better places in Asia for sun and sand than Phuket and Kota Kinabalu. For those who like snow sports, hot springs and great scenery, then Sendai is the place to be this holiday season.”

Between December 17 and January 3, Dragonair will add a total of eight additional frequencies: five to Phuket and three to Kota Kinabalu. Larger A330 aircraft – with a capacity of 286 passengers – will serve these destinations on seven and five occasions respectively, while A330s will be used twice on flights to Sendai. Additional services may be added if there is demand.

“We have a mix of travellers on our flights who travel independently or take advantage of the flexibility offered by all-inclusive Dragonair Holidays packages,” Mr. Tung said.

He added: “The packages always offer excellent value, and even more so this year with travellers to Sendai enjoying discounts.”

Dragonair is a Hong Kong-based airline, operating a fleet of seven A330-300s, three A321s and seven A320s, in addition to two Boeing freighters. It is currently in the midst of a programme to more than double its fleet by the end of 2005. The airline's passenger network covers 27 destinations across the Asia-Pacific region, while its cargo network connects the markets of Europe, the Middle East, Japan and China.