Cathay Pacific Route Updates: Barcelona And Mexico City Added, Chicago Reduced
From an article over at Business Traveller Asia which picked up the story from This Week in Asia-Pacific Aviation, it appears that Cathay Pacific may be making some route updates in late 2015. This is based on a source at the airline who has asked to remain anonymous, so until there is an official press release confirming the route updates, I’d still consider these to be rumored changes.
So what’s changing? Two destinations are reportedly being added – Barcelona and Mexico City, which should be happening in the October to December time frame, and still pending aircraft availability and governmental approval. Both new routes are rumored to be serviced by a Boeing 777-300ER with a 3-class cabin, which won’t include a First Class cabin, but should feature Cathay Pacific’s new business class product which is the best in the market today.
News also surfaced that Cathay may be reducing its 10x weekly service between Chicago and Hong Kong beginning March 23, 2015 to just 7x a week, with daily service operated by a 4-cabin Boeing 777-300ER. This appears to be confirmed as the additional Boeing 777-300ER currently in operation out of ORD with scheduled service on Sundays, Wendesdays, and Fridays is no longer there after March 23rd.
I haven’t been shy about professing my love for Cathay Pacific, and I’m not alone as they were recently named the World’s Best Airline by Skytrax. I’m eagerly awaiting confirmation of these changes as it would really be the best of both worlds – being able to fly to Barcelona, one of my new favorite cities, and on my favorite airline.
Here’s a nice round the world route, SE Asian airlines all the way. LAX-GRU Korean. GRU -BCN Singapore. BCN- DPS Cathay. DPS- LAX Asiana.
That is brilliant, sign me up!
I would be interested in seeing CX actually fly to mex, however I do not believe they have a plane that can do it without a technical stop. As the high altitude of MEX lowers performance rating of airliners. Currently AM B777 to PVG has to stop at TIJ to refuel before heading across the pacific and so did their flt to NRT before switching that flight to a 787. A B787 could possibly connect HKG and MEX without a refuel stop, but no plane in CX’s fleet can (unless the B77w has a higher rating, but I doubt it). HKG is just as far from MEX as the middle east, and my guess is a middle eastern carrier will launch a ULH flight to MEX before an asian carrier–especially overly cautious CX!
That’s interesting insight – the article references that the new routes may have 1-stop, which is most likely in reference to MEX rather than BCN. I know that one of the daily flights from JFK stops at YVR before going to HKG. Maybe they will try something similar, with a refueling stop on the West Coast, perhaps SFO or LAX?
Thank you for everything.