The summer will see the addition of new and returning destinations to the passenger network, along with planned changes to scheduled freighter deployments.

We look at some of the opportunities these routes bring to the market – starting with Europe, where Regional Head of Cargo Jansen Stafford says the focus is on business as usual: “We’ve got good yields and we've got quality cargo, and we hope to keep the momentum with the new ports.” 

Brussels (BRU)

Early August marks the resumption of passenger services to Brussels – a significant European hub. It also reactivates the Pharma.Aero Pharma Corridor between Brussels and Hong Kong, which was established in 2019; this will be of interest to pharma shippers, which represent a significant portion of the cargo market. Both airports offer the necessary facilities and services, along with IATA’s CEIV Pharma assurance. 

Brussels also offers a balance between Cathay Cargo’s other regional hubs in Amsterdam and Paris, both around 300 km away and both served by freighters. “It’s like we now have three airports serving one hub,” says Jean Luc Py, Area Cargo Manager France and Benelux. “As Belgium does not have a national carrier, there are big opportunities for Cathay Cargo. Additionally, our new Day 2 flight is ideal for pharmaceutical as forwarders like to have their shipments at the destination before the weekend so they do not have to pay demurrage, plus it will relieve capacity issues at Paris and Amsterdam.”

Munich (MUC)

From 16 June, Munich joins the Cathay Pacific passenger network for the first time. Cathay Cargo is more familiar with the southern German city, having previously run a freighter service with joint venture partner Lufthansa Cargo. Its proximity to auto giants BMW and Audi has historically driven many exports as Michael Spiegel, Area Cargo Manager Germany,  remembers well, as he helped establish the freighter port around 20 years ago. 

Auto parts remain a key export, Spiegel says: “Siemens, MAN and other big companies are producing electrical or car parts to be sent [around] the world.”

The geographical location provides another good opportunity. Not only do many of the big global forwarding companies have bases in Munich to consolidate shipments, but Cathay Cargo has appointed a new General Sales Agent (GSA) for the Central Eastern European market. “We are going to tap into Austrian business, mainly pharmaceuticals and heavy steel products, as well as Hungary, Slovakia and probably the Czech Republic, which will all be linked to Munich.”

For Spiegel, this opens up shipments that were unlikely to be trucked to Frankfurt when Munich had existing flag carriers with flights heading east. “This business would not have come to Frankfurt, so we are confident we’ll have satisfying numbers at the start.”

Rome (FCO)

Starting 5 June, Rome returns to the passenger network after a near six-year hiatus, and Area Cargo Manager Italy and Spain Alberto Brandi sees opportunity to fill bellies with exports. 

Like Munich, Rome hosts national carriers, making it challenging to truck shipments to Milan to link with Cathay Cargo’s services, so Brandi says Rome’s resumption has therefore generated much interest. While the city itself is not a big market, Brandi points to production facilities south of the city, especially for pharmaceuticals. “We’ve received many requests from agents, even though this is a seasonal route,” he says.

Rome has the pharma facilities required for Cathay Pharma shipments, and cargo terminal operator ALHA – also contracted to Cathay Cargo at Milan – is CEIV Pharma certified. Beyond that, there’s big export demand from regions around the capital including mozzarella from Naples, other perishable foods, and a lot of lower-yield general cargo. “We are also planning to work with agents around Florence, to whom we will be able to offer capacity from Milan once Rome finishes in the winter,” he adds. 

Dallas (DFW)

Cathay Pacific’s new passenger service to Dallas, which launched in April, complements Cathay Cargo’s existing freighter services. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is a major cargo hub with strong connections to Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Key imported commodities include pharmaceuticals, perishables and general cargo.

The airport benefits from its central US location for distribution and has growing freighter services linking it globally. While imports have been e-commerce-heavy, Dallas Fort Worth is close to oil facilities, and Cathay Cargo has flown urgent and large machinery for oil exploration in and out of the hub using the Cathay Expert solution. 

Hyderabad (HYD)

Passenger services to Hyderabad have already resumed and are set to increase, which is great news: Hyderabad has historically been a pharma stronghold, and India as a whole is continuing to grow as an air cargo market. By September, Cathay Pacific will operate 43 passenger flight pairs alongside Cathay Cargo’s 13 return freighter flights per week between Hong Kong and India.

Urumqi (URC)

Urumqi became the 20th destination on the Chinese Mainland to be served by Cathay Pacific when services started in April. The city is an important Belt and Road hub, close to the border with Central Asian countries. In cargo terms, it tends to look westwards for exports; but as Head of Cargo Chinese Mainland Wendy Ge explains, Urumqi also has “seasonal fruit and vegetable produce, and we’ll explore the potential of perishables, riding on the newly revamped Cathay Fresh solution alongside general cargo”. As for imports, Cargo Sales Development Manager Sam Tsang says that these focus on general cargo products such as clothing, food and industrial machinery. 

Wellcamp Airport (WTB), Australia 

Cathay Cargo will no longer serve Wellcamp with a weekly freighter service and will instead operate Brisbane (BNE), though the option of future charter operations will remain open. Cathay Cargo was the first international airline to operate at the Toowoomba facility, marking the beginning of a 10-year partnership. “We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all those who have contributed to the success of this flight over the last decade,” said Frosti Lau, Cathay Regional General Manager, Southwest Pacific. 

Kellie Banditt, General Manager, Wellcamp Airport also values Cathay Cargo’s contribution. “This partnership has been instrumental in showcasing Wellcamp Airport as an exceptional cargo port,” she says. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Cathay Cargo for its collaboration and support throughout the journey together.”