SCMP: CX axing IAD, BRU, LGW, EWR, SEA, DUB and MLE permanently
#61
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC
Posts: 524
I spent much of the two prior to covid commuting to CCU and other Indian places. Arriving on the KA was fine, but leaving was such a ball drag. The timing, the endless delays. I ended up taking Thai thru BKK simply to get home at a reasonable hour. Cathay treated India with much distaste and secondary service. No great loss.
The HK-India air service agreement limits only two HK carriers can serve HKG-India market, may be CX group will use UO brand to serve India market to prevent potential competitor to enter the market.
#62
Join Date: Apr 2021
Programs: CX Asia Miles
Posts: 79
Route resumptions
Is there any chance at all that some of the aforementioned (IAD, BRU, LGW et al.) routes will resume in the medium/long term? I appreciate that the situation RE. Covid and travel restrictions remains very volatile at present, with HKG remaining closed to tourism. However, looking forwards, no doubt Cathay are keen to get more of their network back online (just as much as other airlines are!). Which routes stand the strongest chance of coming back? Personally, I would love to see LGW back- I loved using this route since its launch in 2016, especially since it was more convenient than having to use LHR prior to Cathay's return to LGW. Plus, I always found the experience of travelling through the South Terminal much more relaxed than LHR. London has historically been a key market for CX (whether it will in the long run remains to be seen), however, hopefully once HKG reopens, demand will begin picking back up again. I am sure that Cathay's priority will be to reinstate the 5 daily 77Ws at LHR first before sending the 359s back to LGW. I remember speaking to the CX team in LGW as well as to someone in their London office, and they mentioned that Gatwick had grown to become a good route for the airline that had been working very well alongside the LHR operation. I hope that they will come back.
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
There is simply no point running separate routes for the same metropolitan area.
#65
Join Date: Apr 2021
Programs: CX Asia Miles
Posts: 79
CX route resumptions going forward?
A bit of a long shot, but seeing as quite a bit has changed since this thread was last active, what routes (if any) do people think CX would consider reinstating going into 2023 and beyond, now that HKG restrictions have begun easing and transit flying resuming? There has been a lot of talk recently about network rebuilding at CX, as well as mass rehiring in anticipation of the continued recovery of air travel, so would be interested to know what your thoughts are.
Sources:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-travel-bounce
https://simpleflying.com/cathay-paci...rictions-ease/
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...part-ambitious
Sources:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-travel-bounce
https://simpleflying.com/cathay-paci...rictions-ease/
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...part-ambitious
#66
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,809
A bit of a long shot, but seeing as quite a bit has changed since this thread was last active, what routes (if any) do people think CX would consider reinstating going into 2023 and beyond, now that HKG restrictions have begun easing and transit flying resuming? There has been a lot of talk recently about network rebuilding at CX, as well as mass rehiring in anticipation of the continued recovery of air travel, so would be interested to know what your thoughts are.
Sources:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-travel-bounce
https://simpleflying.com/cathay-paci...rictions-ease/
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...part-ambitious
Sources:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-travel-bounce
https://simpleflying.com/cathay-paci...rictions-ease/
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...part-ambitious
Any statement by anyone - even HK government officials - is merely hearsay and rumour.
So long as Covid Zero remains current national policy everything else is unbased rumour.
#67
Join Date: Apr 2021
Programs: CX Asia Miles
Posts: 79
Route resumptions
So far speculation and fake news - there is no confirmed relaxation of flight suspension mechanism, there is no confirmed relaxation of quarantine.
Any statement by anyone - even HK government officials - is merely hearsay and rumour.
So long as Covid Zero remains current national policy everything else is unbased rumour.
Any statement by anyone - even HK government officials - is merely hearsay and rumour.
So long as Covid Zero remains current national policy everything else is unbased rumour.
#68
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,809
All valid points, however, CX has managed to increase its flying programme significantly over the same period last year (although barely scratches the surface on S19 schedules), so there has evidently been some degree of relaxation to the zero-Covid approach and quarantining, especially with transit flying now resuming. I hope this continues to head in the right direction, as it'll be good to see more of CX's network come back online
#69
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Executive Club
Posts: 85
My thoughts are that the regional Asia market especially China will be the first ports to be brought back, followed by major ports in Australia, USA and Europe.
In Australia I don't see Adelaide coming back, in Europe I doubt Madrid, Barcelona or one of the Italian ports will return. In North America we will always have SFO, LAX, JFK, YVR, YYZ. If ORD or BOS make long term returns who knows?
heard rumours of Johannesburg coming back soon!
In Australia I don't see Adelaide coming back, in Europe I doubt Madrid, Barcelona or one of the Italian ports will return. In North America we will always have SFO, LAX, JFK, YVR, YYZ. If ORD or BOS make long term returns who knows?
heard rumours of Johannesburg coming back soon!
#70
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Mosaic
Posts: 1,050
After midnight departures are great - get a full day in on the way out, and land in the early AM, which is good for connecting as well. Would love to see it come back.
However - the covid policy would have to change significantly, at least for transit pax, to remove all irrops risk.
However - the covid policy would have to change significantly, at least for transit pax, to remove all irrops risk.
#71
Join Date: Apr 2021
Programs: CX Asia Miles
Posts: 79
My thoughts are that the regional Asia market especially China will be the first ports to be brought back, followed by major ports in Australia, USA and Europe.
In Australia I don't see Adelaide coming back, in Europe I doubt Madrid, Barcelona or one of the Italian ports will return. In North America we will always have SFO, LAX, JFK, YVR, YYZ. If ORD or BOS make long term returns who knows?
heard rumours of Johannesburg coming back soon!
In Australia I don't see Adelaide coming back, in Europe I doubt Madrid, Barcelona or one of the Italian ports will return. In North America we will always have SFO, LAX, JFK, YVR, YYZ. If ORD or BOS make long term returns who knows?
heard rumours of Johannesburg coming back soon!
#72
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: HKG/HND/OOL
Programs: QF Emerald. SQ Gold.
Posts: 3,171
cathay pathetic doesnt even have enough crew for skeleton roaster. they are complete joke, and they wont recover. how about get a frigging daily flight to main destination without cancelling? thats a good start. but next J travel is on SQ... how can CX really compete with their once a month flight o BNE when SQ has 3 daily flights?
#73
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: MPC-DM, Enrich-Plat
Posts: 1,310
cathay pathetic doesnt even have enough crew for skeleton roaster. they are complete joke, and they wont recover. how about get a frigging daily flight to main destination without cancelling? thats a good start. but next J travel is on SQ... how can CX really compete with their once a month flight o BNE when SQ has 3 daily flights?
Where CX's size is pretty small at the moment, they do have A) a reputation, B) procedures, working principles and contracts in place and C) Landing rights all over the world. So, once China does swallow its Zero Covid pride, things can go up pretty steep for CX.
#74
Join Date: Feb 2022
Programs: QRPC, BAEC
Posts: 684
Let me describe a realcd for you: It's not CX being pathetic, it's the whole of Zero Covid in China, which has created this whole mess, not to say, the whole China society is at a near breakdown now, so things can become pretty challenging.
Where CX's size is pretty small at the moment, they do have A) a reputation, B) procedures, working principles and contracts in place and C) Landing rights all over the world. So, once China does swallow its Zero Covid pride, things can go up pretty steep for CX.
Where CX's size is pretty small at the moment, they do have A) a reputation, B) procedures, working principles and contracts in place and C) Landing rights all over the world. So, once China does swallow its Zero Covid pride, things can go up pretty steep for CX.
#75
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: MPC-DM, Enrich-Plat
Posts: 1,310
Well in my opinion it is pathetic if they can’t even figure out how many / which flights they want to operate to some core destinations including LHR this fall/winter…flights being canceled, moved around frequently etc which will deter people from booking with CX at the end of the day….
Oh, and this "happened" today:
China's Zero Covid target to last for another 5 years
Of course, censorship jumped in, though, now we know the planning. So, be prepared.
CX, take care you expand your Hub to other Asian cities, using local subsidiaries, there is no survival in Hong Kong !