|
Fly
away with Cathay Pacific
by
Muguette
Goufrani
 We
have
flown Cathay Pacific Airlines from Vancouver, BC ,
Canada to New York for the past seven years, and
are extremely pleased with the service we've
received. If Africa
Travel Magazine were handing out awards for
courtesy and friendliness at this time, the staff
at the JFK International Airport in New York would
rank extremely
high.
We would
gladly recommend this airline to anyone flying
between these two cities and anywhere else on its
agenda. Here is a brief profile on the airline from
its excellent in-flight magazine:
Cathay Pacific sees
opportunity in Shenzhen
Hong Kong SAR chief
executive, Donald Tsang, unveiled a range of Hong
Kong-Pearl River Delta connectivity initiatives
that have been welcomed by the aviation and tourism
sectors.
Of particular
interest to Cathay Pacific and Airport Authority
Hong Kong is a proposal to develop a rail
connection between Hong Kong International Airport
(HKIA) and Shenzhen Airport. HKIA ranks among the
world's busiest international airports in terms of
both passengers and cargo, while Shenzhen Airport
handles far more domestic (Mainland) services than
Hong Kong.
A joint task force
with the Shenzhen Municipal Government will develop
specific plans as early as next year.
The linkage could
create the conditions for a double-hub operation in
the Pearl River Delta region. It provides Cathay
with another investment option in the Mainland, in
Shenzhen Airlines, after its planned joint bid with
Air China's parent for China Eastern Airlines was
blocked.
Consistently one of
China's most profitable carriers, Shenzhen Airlines
offers another benefit &endash; it is 25%-owned by
Cathay's cross-equity partner, Air China. Shenzhen
Airlines earned a profit of USD48 million in 2006,
on revenue of USD859 million, as passenger and
cargo traffic surged by 24% and 27%
respectively.
The Shenzhen-based
carrier is the largest privately-owned airline in
China. Zhao Xiang's Shenzhen Huirun Investment
bought a 55% stake from Guangdong Development Bank
in an auction sale process in late 2005. Zhao since
assumed the Chairmanship of Shenzhen Airlines.
Total Logistics (Shenzhen) and Bright Oceans Corp
each own 10% stakes in Shenzhen
Airlines.
Airline valuations
in China have more than doubled since then, with
strong gains in 2007, mostly due to merger
speculation.
Cathay's CEO, Tony
Tyler, stated a rail link between Hong Kong and
Shenzhen "should have great potential for new
opportunities to increase passenger and cargo
traffic between Hong Kong and the Mainland, and we
would be very happy to contribute our expertise and
experience to the work of the task
force".
If Shenzhen and
Hong Kong airports get closer, via enhanced
transport links, there's a good chance its airlines
will too.
About Centre for
Asia Pacific Aviation
The Centre for Asia
Pacific Aviation (CAPA) was founded in 1990 and has
since built an international reputation as the
leading specialist aviation consultancy in the Asia
Pacific, the Indian Subcontinent and Middle East
regions. CAPA Consulting's strategic advisory
services are supported by the extensive information
and data services provided by the Centre's Market
Research Unit to aviation industry leaders every
day. The Centre also holds regular Aviation
Leadership Summits, which provide unique
opportunities for the exchange of ideas and
experiences.
+61(2)9241.3200 f:
+61(2)9241.3400 e:
publications@centreforaviation.com a: PO Box N777,
Grosvenor Pl. Sydney 2000 Australia
Cathay
Pacific Airways was founded in Hong Kong in
1946 by two adventurers American Roy Farrell and
Australian Sydney de Kantzow. The Cathay Pacific
story is one of the most romantic in aviation
history. It began with the entrepreneurial vision
of two former transport pilots - American Roy
Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow from Australia - who
had flown transport planes over the "HUMP" from
Calcutta to Kunming during World War 11. After the
war, they spotted an opportunity to start passenger
and cargo flights out of Shanghai and, in May 1946,
moved their enterprise to the British colony of
Hong Kong, naming it Cathay Pacific Airways -
Cathay, the ancient name for China; and Pacific,
because the far-sighted Farrell speculated that one
day the embryonic airline might fly across the
Pacific ocean.
By
1948, CPA was operating scheduled services to five
destinations around Asia. The same year,
Butterfield & Swire, Cathay Pacific continued
to grow rapidly. During the 1970, the airline began
serving its first destinations beyond Asia with
flights to the Middle East, as well as starting its
first cargo-only flights.
With
delivery of its first Boeing 747-200 in 1980,
Cathay Pacific launched its inaugural Hong Kong
London service, and then became the world's first
airline to take delivery of the Rolls-Royce-poweded
Boeing 747-400, which revolutionized long haul
travel, bringing destinations such as Vancouver,
London and Los Angels within nonstop range. 45
percent of the Airline is owned by Swire Pacific,
part of Hong Kong based conglomerate Swire Group,
while China International Trust & Investment
Corporation (CITIC) holds a further 25.4 percent
and John Swire & Sons provides a wide range of
management services to the airline.
In
1996, the airline commemorated its 50th anniversary
and in 1999, the airline took delivery of three
Boeing 777-300s, one of the most advanced passenger
aircraft in the market today. Cathay Pacific's
continued success is closely tied to that of Hong
Kong, and with this in mind the airline has
invested a total of HK$8 BILLION (us$1 billion in
its new headquarters at Cathay Pacific City and in
the infrastructure of the Hong Kong international
Airport at Chek Lap Kok which opened on 6 July
1998: Cathay Pacific's new home in the heart of
Asia. More information is also available on the
website: www.cathaypacific.com
We
will describe our most recent flight in more detail
later, but first here is some supporting
information we gathered via press release that was
sent to our office. It speaks of a very key topic -
management:
Cathay
Pacific Airways has been ranked the best managed
major airline in Asia and the second best managed
major airline in the world by leading airline
industry magazine Aviation Week & Space
Technology. Cathay Pacific, which offers twice
daily Boeing 747-400 service from Vancouver to Hong
Kong, daily non-stops to New York and daily direct
A340-300 service from Toronto to Honk Kong, offers
service to 47 destinations from its "Super Hub" in
Honk Kong.
Cathay
Pacific was also lauded for the "exceptionally
strong performance" of its management. The rankings
are based on a combination of asset utilization,
productivity and financial health. Aviation Week
said the highly-ranked companies should serve as a
guide for aerospace companies and airlines
worldwide.
|
.