The peak coincides with the start of the winter season’s flying schedule, and there is news as Cathay Pacific’s passenger network continues to grow, and exciting developments with some seasonal services and a new destination in the US for next summer.
Cathay Pacific has successfully launched a new passenger routes to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, served by an Airbus A350 three times weekly (departing Hong Kong on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays) on top of scheduled freighter services, and recently announced a brand-new route to Dallas Fort Worth in the US, starting in the summer season next year. ‘The Riyadh and Dallas routes are actually very good complements to our Boeing 747 freighter network,’ says Anita Lo, Head of Cargo Network and Scheduling. Currently, Cathay Cargo operates a weekly freighter charter to Riyadh.
Adding to the Americas
In commercial terms, the Dallas passenger launch on 24 April 2025 will serve similar purposes as the Riyadh flight, and the route will be serviced by an Airbus A350-1000 to complement the four-times weekly freighter service. ‘While we already serve Dallas with our freighters four flights a week, the four-weekly Dallas passenger flights starting in summer 2025 will also help build our presence there and offer more regular passenger belly space for our customers,’ says Lo.
It's also worth noting that Cathay Cargo is adding five additional freighter services to the Americas during the peak. Additionally, ahead of next year’s accommodation with NorthLink Aviation at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, there are plans for alleviation this winter in the strong likelihood of snow disruption. ‘From November until January, we have some measures to mitigate the snow disruption at Anchorage,’ says Lo.
These measures will include a dedicated parking bay (ahead of next year’s permanent arrangements) to enable more predictable aircraft handling during snow, but also some flights through the winter will fly directly back to Hong Kong without the tech stop at Anchorage. ‘We have some flights that will skip Anchorage and fly either directly back from ports in the Americas or via Los Angeles,’ she adds.
South West Pacific seasonals and extra frequencies
While Cathay Pacific is celebrating 50 years of direct flights to Sydney, Cairns returns to the passenger network this winter after a break of several years,. ‘The aim is to make this an ongoing winter seasonal route,’ says Lo.