Cathay Pacific is extremely bullish on India as a destination. The Hong Kong-headquartered airline sees a significant turnaround in its business with the easing of restrictions related to the pandemic.
“We are in a much better position today and can confidently talk about ramping up our operations,” said Ronald Lamm, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, Cathay Pacific. The airline was founded in 1946 and Lam, who will take over as CEO from January 1 next year, believes it has a strong reputation apart from being a premium brand. “We offer a very convenient network to Hong Kong and beyond. This includes destinations such as the Chinese Mainland, Australia and the United States,” he says.
For them, India offers a huge opportunity with Hong Kong being a very attractive destination. Today, there are a number of airlines operating outside India, among which Air India and Middles Eastern are the carriers, providing connectivity to the US and Australia. Lamm, acknowledging this fact, is clear that her airline’s strong network and multiple frequencies will make a difference. “India has been with us for most of our history and will continue to do so for a long time,” he said.
It is expected that the third runway at Hong Kong Airport will be ready for use in 2025. By then, we expect a lot of traffic to start coming in from neighboring areas,” says Lamm. While Lamm’s concern over high fuel prices remains, the approach is to monitor the situation closely. “Not much What we can do otherwise and it’s important for us to be cost-efficient.”
The low-cost carrier, with the acquisition of HK Express, is the obvious choice for a dual brand strategy. “Any destination about six hours from Hong Kong and that includes Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. We will need longer range to India but will investigate the possibility.”
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