CX route resumptions
 

Now that quarantine requirements in HKG have finally been ditched, and with CX beginning to increase their flying programme, what can we expect in the way of route resumptions medium and long term? For example, could we see CX reinstating some of the services they had supposedly scrapped in November 2020? (LGW, EWR, IAD, SEA etc?). With the capacity cap at LHR now being extended to March next year, it would be great to see LGW come back.

I wouldn't expect to see any routes added back in 2023.

I personally miss the IAD flight. Doesn't have F, which is a big bummer, but is offset by my hate of flying in and out of JFK.

I feel similarly in the case of LGW. No F on the 359, but vastly prefer flying CX into/out of the South Terminal at LGW over LHR. Plus LGW is more convenient for me. I do remember speaking with the CX ground staff in LGW just before the route was suspended in February 2020, and they mentioned it had become a popular route that was busy and worked well alongside the LHR operation. It would be nice to see Gatwick make a comeback as CX recovers :)

IAD and SEA are "permanently" cut in the sense that CX no longer considers these cities destinations. I think EWR and LGW, too, but not 100% sure.

Anyone heard anything about the return of the ORD flight?

I think they will probably increase flights to existing destinations first before resuming suspended routes... like extra services to LHR, TYO, JFK, LAX, SFO, YVR, etc... certain seasonal routes will come back during winter though, like CTS..

Medium-term: There are plane and landing slots ready, but not enough pilots as CX's fleet is mostly heavies.
Many of the pilots have left for greener pastures.

https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/221012-cxnov22

Looking at this, there won't be many route resumptions. Key cities such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, are still served only 3x weekly. Before we get IAD back, I'd expect them to ramp other destinations up. But it appears like they are struggling to do so.

I was looking at booking a sector from HKG to MNL in August 2023 and they are still only showing 3 flights each day.

Wish they could bring back 60+ weekly SIN-HKG flights and put out award availability.

also like to see them increase AKL, they zeroed out most if not all availably in January 2023...

ironic all the pilots CX screwed had their handsome benefits till Oct/Nov this year for no flying... and now HK opens up they all left cuz benefit ceased

compare this to sq which invested in lounge and other improvements and in full force now

Will it be safe booking CX for next year for holiday trips?

Planning to book MNL-MEL/SYD, MNL-KIX/Tokyo, etc.

I don't have a crystal ball.
But if your question is "will CX be bankrupt?": I don't think so.
If your question is "can I fully rely on schedules posted today for next year?": I don't think so either. Better wait and see.

I believe CX had 1 ORD flight in Sep.? No regular service though.

Good news that some European routes are being reinstated .
I have been hoping to fly from Europe to Australia next June but business award seats just aren't appearing anywhere ( though I am forced to use Qantas points !!!) - maybe they have already been taken.
MXP to HKG is a recent addition and economy or business class award seats are no where to be found .The same can be said of the LHR-HKG routing..
Looking at Expertflyer, the CX flights MXP-HKG in may / june 2023 are zeroed out for 6 out of 7 days each week .
Am I missing something ? Is CX still deciding when to go back to more than a once a week schedule ?
Any thoughts with what will happen to MXP-HKG in June next year?
I accept that a crystal ball may be required for an answer.

It takes time for CX to reinstate their flights, since they have many factors to consider, apart from supply/demand, such as their crew resources, fleet resources, airport ground resources...... One month ago CX filed two weekly flights to Frankfurt but now it is 6 weekly flights in January.

Thank you - that gives me some hope!

"only"?

Depends on what you mean by "safe".

A short while ago the CX timetable was showing 4 flights a day to and from Manila including a late arrival (around midnight) with early morning (8am) departure in January. When I just rechecked it said that there were no flights available. Poor Cathay does not seem to know what a timetable is. Certainly its IT staff don't. Still it is good to see the number of daily flights increasing so that a transit can be made in Hong Kong without having to spend a night there. Also, presumably we can expect the Manila lounge to open again if there is going to be the increased traffic and other OneWorld airlines restart their operations in Manila.

I just ran up HKG to MNL on CX next August and there are 7-flights a day scheduled.

All on A333s.

Flights that far out are place markers. Airline schedules--and not just CX--are really only valid 3-months out.

​​​​FDH shuttle

Yup.

Planning a LAX HKG SIN trip Q1 2023. I am seeing more frequent flights between HKG and SIN (shorter layovers as well). Anyone else planning similar trips?

European route resumptions
 

With CX aggressively targeting a full, pre-Covid network resumption in 2024, what European routes stand a good chance of returning? Personally, I really hope that LGW will make a come back, as pre Covid, Gatwick was working well alongside Cathay's LHR operation.

I would like to see SHA return. If I post my wish ten times in this thread, will it be granted?

Without a doubt.

But you did not specify by when your wish should be granted . . .

Any crystal ball predictions for the JFK-HKG route in 2023?

Umm JFK-HKG is already there.

Apologies, I meant with the 777 and having F.

Don't they need to get some 777s back from QR in order to use 777s on long haul routes.

only 4 went to Qatar and they have plenty of 77Ws currently stored / not flying so probably not an issue. Those 4 frames I believe have been returned to the original owner (BOC Aviation) and subsequently leased to QR, so not sure if it will even return to CX eventually.

CX have plenty of 777s and another back in service yesterday but not all are ER's of course
Also a large order for the 777X for delivery starting -----.
Johannesburg restarting end January but no Cape Town yet

I booked ORD-HKG-BKK about a 1.5 months ago using Mileage Plan...today, I went in to change the connecting flight (HKG-BKK) and had no problem doing so on AS's website. I then used my CX confirmation number to select seats on the CX website - both flights still showing as "Confirmed" so I am hopeful it's back.

There are 18 77W with F6 in the current CX fleet, 6 parked in ASP, and 3 parked in HKG/others.
B-KQW has no schedule/historical fleet but is not marked as parked.

There are 8 aircraft with F that is in operation for LAX/LHR/CDG/HND.
IIRC, HND is a day flight so there is no affection for roasting.

Seems CX has maximized planes with F for operation. If they need to expand F service (someone said JFK F is coming back), they might need to pull some back in ASP

Does this mean they are flown by CX crews? I assumed that QR supplied its own crews, especially since they operate other (non-CX) 777s.

Wet lease means that at least one CX crew member would be onboard. That would make sense if QR crew is not familiar with all CX 77W galley equipment.

I don’t think they are wet leased though?

I hope CX will bring MAA back sometime next year. May be flying in September or October though nothing is set in stone yet. I remember the last time flying them to MAA in 2018 & 2019, those flights were always full when they put the same 3-class 77W.

As far as I understand, MAA is not off the schedule at all by any means, meaning it will likely come back. During the pandemic, CX631/632 flew to MAA during certain periods (primarily Winter). I'm sure they'll bring it back, we'll just have to wait and see.