I believe that the agreement between the US and UK over which airlines fly transatlantic into LHR only covers airlines registered in those two countries. There are a number of other countries' airlines which already fly from LHR to the USA (Qantas and ANZ come to mind). Cathay will separately need US approval to enter the US from UK - which it may already have, for all I know.
Whether Cathay will have the right to pick up passengers in the UK en-route to the US isn't clear from this press release - nor is it clear from this release that VS will have that right from HK to Oz. Perhaps someone can clarify? What it does seem to mean is that BMI could operate LHR-HKG if they should so wish!
[Later edit....] A quick Google to Reuters revealed that both Cathay and Virgin will enjoy fifth-freedom rights on the new routes.
Last edited by scroggs; 28th Nov 2003 at 06:54.