Cathay Pacific To Add Four Non-Stop Flights Between San Francisco And Hong Kong, Increasing Frequency To Three Daily Flights

SAN FRANCISCO, March 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cathay Pacific Airways today announced four additional non-stop flights between San Francisco and Hong Kong, using the new Airbus A350-900, featuring a refreshed Business Class cabin as well as new Premium Economy Class and Economy Class seats. This will be the airline's first A350 deployed in the USA and second in North America.

From October 29, 2017, flight CX893 will expand from a three-times-weekly service using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to a daily A350 service, bringing the total number of San Francisco to Hong Kong departures to three per day (21 per week).  Cathay Pacific will now offer more non-stop flights from San Francisco to Hong Kong than any other airline. CX879 and CX873 will continue to be operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

CX893 will depart daily at 12:55 am, arriving in Hong Kong the following day at 8:05 am. This early morning arrival will allow passengers to connect with Cathay Pacific flights across Asia – including Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and over 22 gateways in mainland China – without a lengthy layover in Hong Kong. The return flight, CX892, departs Hong Kong at 5:55 pm (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday), arriving in San Francisco at 1:55 pm (same day) and 6:45 pm (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday), arriving in San Francisco at 2:45 pm (same day).

At the same time, flights to Los Angeles will be reduced from 28 to 21 per week. These changes come on top of previously announced additional services that will operate to Vancouver and Boston from late March. 

Cathay Pacific Senior Vice President, Americas, Philippe Lacamp, said, "San Francisco is ready for a third daily Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong, and we are delighted to meet this growing customer demand. We are particularly pleased to be able to use this additional service to operate our new, state-of-the-art Airbus A350 aircraft, the first operated by Cathay Pacific in the USA.

"Since launching our first non-stop service from SFO to Hong Kong over 30 years ago, the San Francisco Bay Area has been a key market in our global network. San Francisco is an ideal market to debut our newest aircraft, the A350. Not only is it the quietest among the aircraft types in its class, but it is also 25% more fuel efficient with a corresponding reduction in emissions. The A350 has also provided an opportunity for Cathay Pacific to prove itself again as a leader in airline eco-innovation. The cabin carpets and passengers' blankets are made from recycled plastic and nylon, including plastic bottles and salvaged fishing nets that are otherwise a hazard for marine life."

The features of Cathay Pacific's new A350-900 take the passenger travel experience to a new level. The design of many of the cabin features has been carefully considered to give passengers the best sleeping experience, the best entertainment, and to offer them greater control over how they want to use the space, whether for working or relaxation.  With its extra wide body, the aircraft offers more space and comfort, a quiet cabin, panoramic windows and LED mood lighting, contributing to a more comfortable and relaxing journey in all cabin classes.

The A350-900 Business Class seats build on the success of the airline's award-winning long-haul Business Class product to create a memorable experience. Alongside a fully-flat bed, new features includes extra stowage space within easy reach and the personal service offered by a "Do Not Disturb" and "Wake-up Call" function in the entertainment system. 

The Premium Economy Class and Economy Class seats also come with a number of new features, including dedicated tablet holders that make it easy for passengers to enjoy entertainment content on their own devices, and exclusive power outlets and USB ports. Each Premium Economy Class seat has a fully integrated leg rest which, together with the ergonomically designed seat, allows more flexibility to adjust for optimal comfort. The six-way headrest in Economy Class is a proprietary design that provides better support and enhances sleeping comfort.

The new A350-900 inflight entertainment system is inspired by the airline's latest design philosophy. The interactive user interface is contemporary and fresh looking. It is equipped with notable new interactive features which broaden the inflight entertainment options for passengers along with a wider screen in all classes. Connectivity is installed for the first time in a Cathay Pacific aircraft, allowing passengers, for a fee, to browse the internet, send and receive emails and connect on social media. Access to the Cathay Pacific website, a number of partner websites and three live TV news channels are available free of charge.

The A350-900 employs innovative technology and design, which improves not only passenger comfort, but also the efficiency, effectiveness and overall performance of the aircraft. Its advanced design, together with the latest generation of engines and the use of advanced construction materials – including carbon fiber composites – deliver a 25% improvement in operating costs overall when compared to previous-generation aircraft.

Cathay Pacific has taken delivery of 10 A350-900 aircraft, with an additional 12 on firm order, and 26 firm orders of the A350-1000.

Start Date: from Winter 2017 (Oct 29, 2017; all times local):

About Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific Airways offers over 100 flights per week to Hong Kong and beyond, including over 22 destinations in Mainland China, from six cities in the USA and two in Canada: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York (JFK), Newark Liberty, San Francisco, Vancouver and Toronto. More information, including current fares and availability, may be found by visiting the airline's website at cathaypacific.com/us, Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cathaypacificus, Twitter @CathayPacificUS or Instagram @CathayPacific. For North American reservations, dial toll-free: 1-888-233-ASIA.

Contact:
Julie Jarratt
Communications Manager, Americas
415.848.2006
[email protected]

SOURCE Cathay Pacific Airways