As competition to dominate new routes overflying the North Pole intensifies, Cathay Pacific Airways is the latest to add its name to non-stop services between Hong Kong and New York.
Cathay says it will launch scheduled non-stop transpolar services to New York later this year, using either Airbus A340-300s or Boeing 747-400s. It had planned to launch the services in 2002 after taking delivery of three ultra-long-range A340-600s from International Lease Finance (ILFC).
Competition, however, has intensified. Continental Airlines launched the first scheduled non-stop Newark-Hong Kong flights early in March using Boeing 777-200ERs. United Airlines was to have launched non-stop services to Hong Kong from New York's JFK airport early in April.
Cathay currently operates between Hong Kong and New York via Vancouver using 747-400s. It has also been looking at operating year-round non-stop flights between Hong Kong and Toronto.
In March the carrier said it was to expand its fleet following the acquisition of the three ILFC A340-600s and three A340-300s leased from Boeing Aircraft Trading, as well as another A330-300 from Airbus.
Cathay is expected to switch New York services to A340-600s next year. In the interim it will operate non-stop flights with fewer passengers and less cargo than usual to conserve fuel on the 13,577km (7,339nm) journey.
The arrival of the new services follows ICAO's Informal Trans-Asia/Trans-Siberia/Cross Polar Routes High Level Steering Group committee formally agreeing in January new routes over the North Pole to reduce flight times between Europe and North America and Asia/Pacific in Paris.
Source: Airline Business
