Cathay eyes LGW service

A new service between Hong Kong and Gatwick is under consideration by Cathay Pacific Airways using the A350-900.

The airline is expecting deliveries of the first of 22 of the new 280-seat Airbuses it has on order next year, giving it a more flexible aircraft for such a route, with 38 seats in a 1+2+1 layout in Business Class, 28 in Premium Economy and 214 in Economy.

Cathay, which operates five daily flights between Heathrow and Hong Kong, has been floating the idea of a Gatwick service. Rupert Hogg, chief operating officer, said in an interview: “The Dash-900s will primarily be targeted at helping the airline open new points in Europe, and to add a second or third frequency to existing destinations such as Milan and Amsterdam.”

The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) also reported that Cathay had “flagged the A350’s opportunity to open new routes, including the European destinations of London Gatwick (supplementing the existing five-daily London Heathrow service), Copenhagen and Madrid”.

Cathay has not confirmed the Gatwick move but said in a statement: “The [A350] fleet makes it possible for Cathay Pacific to launch and operate direct flights to second-tiered destinations in Europe, hence further expanding our global network connectivity and more choices for customers.”  www.cathaypacific.com

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