Hong Kong based carrier Cathay Pacific Airways is bullish on India but would want organic growth unlike acquisitions done by Etihad or SIA in Indian carriers.“Cathay Pacific looks at organic growth in India and there is no plan to invest in any India airlines”. He, however, expressed concern over high airport charges at Delhi and Mumbai airports, and said:”aviation is a tough business and high fuel cost is also a cause of concern for us.”
Questioned about expansion of operations, Charlie Stewart-Cox, Cathay Pacific General Manager South Asia, Middle East and Africa said :”As per the existing bilateral agreement….we can introduce only two more flights from India. We are planning to launch these flights from Kolkata to Hong Kong.”
Speaking on the occasion of starting double daily non-stop flights Delhi - Hong Kong from 31 March, Charlie Stewart-Cox said:”India is among the top 10 markets for Cathay. It is a solid growing market, in order to provide convenient timings to our travellers, especially the business travellers, we are launching our second direct flight to Hong Kong from Delhi from March 31.”
The new non-stop flights will offer passengers convenient arrival times into Hong Kong to enable easy connections to our extensive global network, he added. Cathay Pacific currently operates 47 weekly flights from Delhi and Mumbai. Chennai and Hyderabad and with its sister concern DragonAir from Kolkata and Bangalore.
The airline has a fleet of 139 planes, including Boeing 747, 777s, Airbus 330 and Airbus 340 and would induct 93 new ones by the end of this year. Regarding its India operations, Stewart-Cox said the aim would be to get the schedules of most of our flights to Hong Kong from India to adjust in such way that passengers have greater choice and convenience” and they could conveniently connect to destinations beyond, including North America. “The timings have been adjusted so as to provide passengers with greater choice and convenience when travelling to Hong Kong or beyond,” he said.