Cathay Pacific Airways Announces Third Daily Service From New York

NEW YORK, July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Cathay Pacific Airways, one of the world's leading passenger and cargo airlines, today announced it will be introducing a third daily service between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Hong Kong from November 15, 2007. The additional daily non-stop service from New York, scheduled for a 9 a.m. departure, will now provide passengers with morning, afternoon and evening options for travel to Hong Kong and beyond.

Cathay Pacific currently operates one daily non-stop flight from New York to Hong Kong and a daily one-stop service from New York via Vancouver to Hong Kong. The airline also offers three daily non-stop flights from Los Angeles and one daily non-stop from San Francisco to Hong Kong.

While announcing the New York non-stop service addition, Cathay Pacific also confirmed that this launch will coincide with the introduction of the airline's new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and its much anticipated and innovative new long-haul product to New York passengers.

Cathay Pacific's long-haul product will include brand new seating, cabin design and in-flight entertainment across First, Business and Economy classes. All are designed to make travelers' flying experiences more comfortable and enjoyable.

According to Cathay Pacific Senior Vice President Americas Alan Wong, the additional service reaffirms the airline's ongoing commitment to the region. "North America, including New York as a key hub on the East Coast, is integral to the airline's business and we're committed to deepening our presence here," said Wong. "Next year, we celebrate 25 years of servicing North America and we're pleased to be able to continually add more flights to suit the travel needs of our passengers."

Earlier this month, Cathay Pacific announced the introduction of a second daily, non-stop flight between San Francisco and Hong Kong, as well as the permanent addition of three non-stop flights between Vancouver and Hong Kong. Effective immediately, the airline increased its service from Vancouver -- the airline's Canadian headquarters and also a major gateway to Asia -- from 14 to 17 flights per week. Three additional early morning departures provide Vancouver passengers with unprecedented travel options to Hong Kong. The San Francisco-Hong Kong second daily flight will commence October 18, 2007. By 2007 year-end, Cathay Pacific will operate a total of eight daily flights from the U.S.

Wong said that the increased services from the U.S, are responsive to growing demand for travel to Asia, particularly Mainland China. "It's exciting to be able to grow our services in the United States and to help open up China and other parts of Asia to more visitors. As a China and Asia travel specialist, it's our pleasure to provide frequency, unparalleled network and best in class services to passengers travelling from New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto and Vancouver," Wong said.

He continued, "Our home base of Hong Kong continues to evolve as a major hub in Asia with the growth of Cathay Pacific. As it remains an important focus for us, we also recognize how uniquely positioned we are to open mainland China to new travelers, particularly since completing our integration with Dragonair and cooperation agreement with Air China. Our services and routes combined mean a significant Asia and China network with many options and more convenience to travelers.

"As far as China is concerned, we expect an increase in travel, not just to Beijing and cities where tourists routinely visit, but to a host of other mainland cities too," said Wong.

Interest in China as a travel destination from the U.S. has climbed significantly. China's National Tourism Administration anticipates China will receive 129 million inbound visitors from overseas this year, five million more than in 2006 and, in part, stimulated by Beijing's role as host city to the upcoming 2008 Olympics and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.

Turning to the airline's new product offering and aircraft, Wong commented: "We're excited to unveil a newly designed cabin and seating that will provide an enhanced flying experience for passengers across all classes. Our passengers have come to expect a certain caliber of service innovation and, once again, this is about creating a level of quality and attention to detail that exceeds the ordinary. Add to this the arrival of our Boeing 777- 300ER aircraft to the market and we've got a lot of new offerings to which travelers can look forward."

Direct flights from New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles to Hong Kong and beyond to over 40 cities in Asia including over 20 cities in Mainland China can be booked at http://www.cathaypacific.com/us.

       Cathay Pacific Airways' New York-Hong Kong Daily Flight Schedule
                        (Effective November 15, 2007)

    Departure City   Flight Number  Departure Time  Arrival City  Arrival Time

    New York             CX841            0900        Hong Kong       1400+1


    New York             CX831            1545        Hong Kong       2005+1


    New York             CX889            2300        Hong Kong        655+2

    (via Vancouver)

    Hong Kong            CX830            1015         New York         1400

    Hong Kong            CX888            1455         New York         2115
    (via Vancouver)

    Hong Kong            CX840            1635         New York         1845*

    * Arrival time will adjust by one-hour during daylight savings.

About Cathay Pacific Airways

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Airways is one of the world's leading passenger and cargo airlines, serving more than one million passengers a month to Asia, Europe and North America. The carrier offers daily non-stop service to Hong Kong and beyond from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Vancouver; daily direct service from Toronto; daily non-stop service between New York and Vancouver; and dedicated cargo service to Hong Kong from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Toronto and Vancouver. In September 2006, Cathay Pacific made aviation history by integrating with Dragonair and enhancing its cooperation agreement with Air China to provide unparalleled China and Asia network. The airline is a member of the oneworld(TM) alliance and a partner in Asia Miles, a leading Travel Reward program. For more information, visit: http://www.cathaypacific.com/us.