Cathay Pacific is to increase services to Europe in 2018 with flights to Dublin, Brussels and Copenhagen.
Brussels will be the first airport to gain a new link with four Airbus A350-900 flights a week from 25 March operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
These flights will leave Hong Kong at 00.35h and land in Brussels at 06.55h, with the return service departing Brussels at 13.10h and arriving in Brussels at 06.55h.
About 11 per cent of Belgian exports go to Asia, a figure that continues to rise, and Brussels Airport says it will seize opportunities to expand its network and further develop direct connections between Belgium and other countries.
Brussels Airport Company chief executive officer (CEO), Arnaud Feist says: “This is an important step in the development of direct connections between Belgium and Asia.”
Describing all the routes, Cathay Pacific CEO, Rupert Hogg says: “Growing our reach to new destinations that aren’t served from Hong Kong boosts the city’s status as Asia’s largest international hub and enables us to capture new and important sources of revenue.”
The Copenhagen flights will operate from 2 May to 12 October, leaving Hong Kong at 01.10h and arrive at 06.30h on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with the return flight departing at 13.55h and landing at 06.35h.
Services to Dublin will start on 2 June, leaving Hong Kong at 00.50h on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and arriving at 06.45h, with the return flight going at 11.55h and landing in Hong Kong at 07.05.
Dublin Airport managing director, Vincent Harrison says the airport is “thrilled” to have this link saying: “Dublin Airport is competing for routes like this with other major European airports, so winning this new business is hugely positive news for Ireland, for foreign direct investment, for Irish exporters, and for inbound tourism.”
Trade between Ireland and China is worth more than €8 billion per annum and almost 100 Irish firms have operations in China, employing 100,000 people there.
