View Full Version : Virign Atlantic Hong Kong - Sydney
World of Tweed
26th Nov 2003, 16:36
This weeks' talks being held in Hong Kong over 'Beyong HKG' rights for British carriers could result in VAA being permitted to fly on to Australia.
Anyone got any inside gossip?
Globaliser
27th Nov 2003, 17:17
The quid pro quo being sought is apparently fifth freedom for CX beyond LHR to the US.
[Edited to add:]
Both ends now apparently approved - see this Yahoo report (http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/031127/0409000485_1.html).
I really can't see how Cathay can justify the transatlantic route as they already serve New York daily with a stopover at Vancouver (a flight which once was nonstop). What traffic would route via London with them, and what price the oneWorld alliance, there already being two major OneWorld carriers on this route.
Also all those US carriers denied access to Heathrow from the US are surely going to kick up a stink about how a 5th freedom carrier can just walk onto the route and (presumably) get the slots.
By offering this London-New York extension, it makes Cathay Pacific, to the best of my knowledge, the only airline to fly right around the world.
This gives them an opportunity to offer multi-stop tickets :
HKG-LHR-(some BA domestics)-NYC-(some AA domestics)-YVR-HKG. No other single airline in can offer that flexibility.