CX can't even make Seattle and Rome work and people are expecting them to succeed in the middle east and Africa?

Too far West for Asian originating pax. what can RAM offer that QR cannot?

Also I find this quote from The Standard interesting re your assurance CX is not at all influenced by the Government's requests... "Cathay was told by the government that its network planning should support the government's policies and meet its strategic development needs.

It should also explore potential new destinations in the mainland, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Eastern Europe, the department said."

My wife recently went to Morocco via QR to Doha and then RAM onwards. QR was fine, but she said that RAM was probably the worst airline she had ever flown on in terms of the soft product.

I posted news on the prospective RUH resumption in December on this forum. Here's the link again: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...gtype=homepage

As for the HK government nudge, see quote below...the "viable market" is one the government is trying to nurture and direct flights can be a part of that.

On HKG-CAI this was served by EgyptAir prior to the pandemic so there is some hint of a market on that basis. I'm not as sure about Casablanca given reasons cited above.

Indeed, here is the source:
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/secti...artment%20said

It would be interesting to think of where in Eastern Europe they would go (there was speculation of VIE to replace Austrian although that may not be what they mean by "Eastern.")

Eastern Europe is indeed a puzzle. VIE is hardly Eastern and would seem to be more of a tourist route. IST might fit the definition at a stretch but where else has demand for an airline that wants to have heavy front end loads? Anyway they still are having problems in the richer Western part. They have never flow to ATH, ROM cannot attract them back. even MXP is still a long way from daily. Is someone thinking of Moscow? I could see IKA before anywhere is the "real" Eastern Europe and I don't find that likely although TG went there.

Istanbul and Moscow would be resumptions rather than new routes if that makes a difference to the analysis. I agree they both seem more likely than anywhere in Central-Eastern European countries. But then again if CX can do Southern European routes 3x a week...

I believe VIE was mentioned in the context of group tourism traffic anyway. Austrian did do the route once...

CX announced that they would launch service to Riyadh in Q4 this year.

https://news.cathaypacific.com/catha...ry-2024-tm1y21

Good news

wonder it would be a direct flight HK - Riyadh or a tag on the dubai route , HK - Dubai - Riyadh

Awkward ;)

It is also important to consider if there is sufficient onward connection demand. I think CX edge over QR is the secondary cities in China and the frequency. My flight on Ethiopian airlines last summer was mainly full of Chinese tourists, and some were in business class with a lousy hard product. They were connecting in Hong Kong to secondary cities in China so I think could have some demand for Africa if the timing is right.

The announcement doesn't clarify this, but I was thinking the same. From memory, the original route went via Bahrain. I guess we'll see in due course.

Belly laugh.

It's not like I heard the RUH relaunch from the source ;-)

you have a point there and the thing with PVG-RUH it's a hub to hub route for Skyteam Alliance due to MU and SV being in that Alliance. CX Oneworld Alliance version should is HKG-DFW DFW-HKG if CX decides to take the old AA DFW-HKG routing. .

The CEO said in the legislative council that it would be a direct service to Riyadh.

Well, Budapest, duh.:D

"Direct" doesn't mean "non-stop", it means "without a change in flight number".