[cwoodward]

With the faster than predicted recovery Cathay will again offer 5 flights a day on the HKG-LHR route from late April. It looks as though 3 may offer first class.

The airline carried 1.16 passengers in February well up on predictions and freight volume was also up 9% on January volumes

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TupeloKid, CathayLoyalist2, Woodpecker

[Woodpecker]

So now that BA too have confirmed that they plan to revert to double daily LHR-HKG, we are back to pre covid frequency!

[MartynSinclair]

I wonder whether 7 flights a day will start to bring the prices down. Is an airline going to replace the lost VS schedule LHR-HKG?

[Woodpecker]

Prices are still nearly double 2019 levels. We might need to await CX resumption of flights to Manchester & Gatwick, and for EK to get back to 4 x daily via DXB for prices to reduce?

[cwoodward]

CX have been flying again to Manchester for some months now Woodpecker.
Gatwick no mention for this year but things change.

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Woodpecker

[AndrewinHK]

CX has already returned to Manchester, it was resumed prior to many of the other European ports. Still just 5x weekly, but it’s back. CX said they expect fares to remain elevated due to supply side constraints until the end of the year. Ground handling limitations in HKG due to staffing is also preventing foreign carriers ramping frequencies faster to exploit CX’s slow pace of service resumption, QF upgrading SYD to a380 in lieu of restarting Melbourne cited lack of ground staff.

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Woodpecker

[cwoodward]

I do not agree that there is any shortage of ground handling availability in HK…..in fact I suggest that the reverse is true.
The oft repeated story was ‘planted’ and never had any confirmed source or back up information as I understand it.

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TupeloKid

[tomyam42]

Cathay’s timetable currently shows LHR has 5 flights a day for 3 days of the week in May. 4 flights each day on 3 and 3 flights on Tuesdays.

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cwoodward

[AndrewinHK]

Planted or not, it’s being used, potentially to protect CX from loss of market share, it is vulnerable, foreign carriers could ramp up capacity and frequency at a pace CX would struggle to match. HKFP reported in January.

https://hongkongfp.com/2023/01/23/staff-shortages-and-fee-hikes-dent-hong-kongs-plan-to-reboot-air-hub-status/%5B/url%5D

[christ]

Cathay still charging over the odds and service has dropped to rock bottom. Went to Bangkok from HK and was appalling service on both legs in business – wrong orders and random service of food and items missing. Probably best to give a miss for a while.

[cwoodward]

Christ My several experiences in the past 3 months do not aline with your one flight mentioned above.
My last flight down to Auckland and return last weekend could only honestly be described excellent on both legs of 11 hours. On the several short-hauls taken the general experience was no different from pre Covid although I thought that the food offering out of HK had improved somewhat and it was apparent on the Manila flights that one or two of the cabin crew were just out of training.

All flights taken have been full and I read that the overall loading to all destinations is at 86% in January with 1.64 million passengers carried in February.
CX must be making a mint on the London run -but if the market is prepared to pay….I would also milk the opportunity for the short period that it will last.

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TupeloKid

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