This story made the front page of the Business section of the South China Morning Post this morning. Report indicates (quote Cathay Executive)"the key hurdle is Aeroflot's lack of traffic rights to fly to Manchester... a fact that Cathay management was appraised of only late last month."
"Cathay would not comment on Aeroflot's bi-lateral status". Aeroflot's General Manager in Hong Kong did not respond to inquiries this week.
Report also indicates that Russia is a small but growing market "making it necessary from a profit perspective for Cathay to include an onward destination such as Manchester". Cathay "continues to work with its partners in the hopes of resolving the outstanding issues".
I thought that Aeroflot did have flights (traffic rights) into Manchester from Moscow for a short period in the past ... or am I mistaken?