Cathay Pacific launches freighter services

Cathay Pacific launches freighter services

Cathay Pacific Airways said Wednesday it will launch new freighter services to Miami and Houston on March 6.

   The company already offers service to New York, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

   “Our cargo business is currently facing a big challenge due to the worldwide economic downturn, making it all the more important to seek out new markets and find ways to develop our business over the long term,” said Rupert Hogg, director cargo for the company. The services to Miami and Houston “provide good connections into the emerging markets of South and Central America.”

   The new service will follow a Hong Kong/Anchorage/Miami/Houston/Anchorage/Hong Kong routing, and will be operated three times a week using a Boeing 747-400ERF Extended Range Freighter.

   The new U.S. services follow the airline’s addition of service between Hong Kong and Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City in January, and additional flights to Milan, starting this month.

   Cathay Pacific now operates flights to 38 destinations using a fleet of 22 dedicated freighters.