Cathay Pacific announces direct flights from Hong Kong to Ireland, Belgium and Denmark
The non-stop flights to Dublin, Brussels and Copenhagen, the first of which will begin from March next year, are a bid to attract new trade and tourism to Hong Kong
Ireland, Belgium and Denmark will be connected to Hong Kong by air for the first time as Cathay Pacific Airways announced three new European flights for 2018 on Thursday.
The non-stop flights to Dublin, Brussels and Copenhagen, the first of which will begin from March next year, are a bid to attract new trade and tourism to Hong Kong.
They will also raise the stakes against the airline’s Middle East competition, that have been in part responsible for hurting Cathay Pacific’s business by offering cheaper flights. Cathay Pacific lurched to a HK$2.05 billion loss in the first half of this year, blaming intense competition.
The premium Hong Kong airline will still compete indirectly against the Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways on one or more of the new routes.
Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific posts HK$2.05 billion loss for first half of 2017
In contrast to mainland Chinese carriers who have expanded aggressively towards North America, Europe and Australia in recent years, Cathay Pacific will be the first Chinese airline to fly to Dublin and Copenhagen – none of the mainland or Taiwanese carriers currently fly to those European destinations, and will join Hainan Airlines which flies to Brussels.