CX Expansion
 

Cathay Pacific / Dragonair S12 Beijing Operation Changes

From 25MAR12, Cathay Pacific and Dragonair is adjusting its operation on Hong Kong – Beijing service. Cathay Pacific will increase service from 1 to 2 Daily, while Dragonair reduces from 8 to 7 Daily.:ugh:

Schedule:

CX390 HKG0900 – 1215PEK EQV D
CX391 PEK1330 – 1655HKG EQV D

CX390/391 replaces KA990/991...BooHoo:ugh:for KA Pilots



Cathay Pacific Asia Service Increases in S12
Cathay Pacific Airways starting 25MAR12 is increasing services on a number of intra-Asia routes. This covers Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Nagoya, Penang, Singapore and Taipei.

Details below:

Hong Kong – Bangkok Service Increases from 5 to 6 Daily
CX755 HKG0940 – 1125BKK EQV D
CX754 BKK1240 – 1625HKG EQV D
Hong Kong – Kuala Lumpur Service Increases from 3 to 4 Daily, with the introduction of red-eye service from Hong Kong
CX791 HKG0130 – 0510KUL 333 D
CX790 KUL1050 – 1440HKG 333 D

Hong Kong – Nagoya NONSTOP service increases from 10 to 14 weekly, with CX536/539 operates Daily instead of 3 weekly
CX536 HKG1020 – 1510NGO EQV D
CX539 NGO1620 – 1925HKG EQV D

Hong Kong – Penang Service Increases from Daily to 10 weekly
CX633 HKG0755 – 1200PEN 77W 24
CX633 HKG0820 – 1200PEN 77W 6

CX634 PEN1300 – 1645HKG 77W 246

Hong Kong – Singapore NONSTOP service increases from 42 to 47 weekly, with the introduction of red-eye service from Hong Kong
CX659 HKG0130 – 0515SIN 777 x47
CX650 SIN0710 – 1055HKG 777 x47

Hong Kong – Taipei Increases from 101 weekly to 111 – 114 weekly

Who gives a Captain Toss?

You may not care Crwjerk, but the Dragon guys care. It is yet another example of the slow running down that started with the destruction a freighter operation that was both profitable and well regarded by the freight forwarders.

Lots of “its all going to be great” and “plenty of good things in the pipeline” while the network is cherry picked and nothing happens except for palming off on to KA of Cathay’s most tired old A330 hand me downs.

In the meantime our competitor across the hall surges ahead in leaps and bounds with new aircraft and a growing network.

Seem to remember Beijing was taken from CX and given to Dragonair in the first place!:=

Thanks for the info!

The KL is a 30 hr layover. You'll definately get a hotel.

Who are you kidding?
 

If anyone thought CX was going to buy KA to grow and promote the KA brand, they must be retarded. CX has and will continue to milk KA of all its connecting passengers and cargo until the brand becomes synonymous with CX. At some point, KA airplanes will start to look like CX and the name may even change to CX Express, proudly operated by Dragonair.

Airline mergers and buyouts are seldom pretty for the labor groups. Only the executives at the top make out like bandits. All things being considered, the KA pilots (not cargo) have made out pretty well so far. It's too bad you have to fly clapped out Airbuses, but what did you really expect? CX to operate older A330s on long-haul and new ones intra-Asia for KA. Let's be realistic about it at least.

Thanks BusyB, you are quite right. CX did give those PEK slots to KA in 1993, and they were the first assets CX stripped after the full takeover, before going on to also take away the freighter network, Sydney, Tokyo, Bangkok, most of our Taipei’s etc.

Cxorcist, none of us in KA is “retarded” (what an unfortunate turn of phrase, couldn’t you think of something better?). We know better than you what has been going on, as we are seeing it at first hand, and none of us is surprised. That does not mean we have to stand by without expressing some disquiet.

Also, you are correct, it is too bad having to put up with CX’s old and less well-equipped hand me downs, but I don’t see how any ‘long haul nice new aircraft/short haul clapped out old aircraft’ distinction applies. Dragonair has always flown and presented to our customers relatively new Airbus aircraft. Again, those of us who have been around a while can see the slow running down of the product. We know why CX does it – because they can, but again that does not mean we have to sit by quietly.

So please, spare us the ”you’ve done pretty well”, or perhaps even the inevitable “we bought you”, and at least have some sympathy for what is being done to a good brand and to a great bunch of guys and girls.

It actually surprises me that CX has not already started to align the KA brand with the CX one. Everyone knows the KA brand is strong in China and the CX brand is not, but does that mean that forever and ever that KA will stand alone? The competition in Asia is getting stronger and stronger and I would have thought from a marketing point of view, it would be a good time to 'educate' the Chinese market that KA is a subsidiary of CX and slowly align them more with CX with the eventual target of full integration. (Forgetting for a second all the related industrial issues). Perhaps a similar colour scheme...red brushwing-style dragon on green tail perhaps?

I see the new KA uniforms are going to be more CX style. If it turns out they are near identical then we get an idea of where things are going.

So long as we don't have to wear those bloody hats again.......

b.

Yes sirrrrrrrrrrrr

Busy B and Midnight Oil
 

CX never had the "rights" to Beijing and Shanghai. When CX flew those routes, they were on an ad hoc Charter agreement, which had to be renewed on a monthly basis. It was only after KA started to fly those routes that KA was granted proper RPT full rights. In return, KA also gave up some routes to CX. It was not long thereafter that the frequencies on those routes were increased. KA provided an extremely good service, which was appreciated by the powers that be in the mainland.

Remember, in those days, CX was a minority shareholder in KA; most of the shares were held by Hong Kong and mainland Chinese interests. CX was, and is still, seen by the Chinese as Swire (UK) plc.

KA Expansion
 

Interesting comment in the latest GMO update.
Maybe getting worlds best regional airline award a couple of times has made it difficult to can the KA brand. Could all be crap , but at least now they appear to have a bit of a plan to reverse the slide of the last 5 years.


"Of particular note for us in OPS is the current plan for fleet development. Notwithstanding any more global financial disasters etc, the plan is to grow our fleet incrementally up to a total fleet size of between 53-55 aircraft between now and the year 2020. The split between the narrow body and the wide body being about 50/50. This is great news for us all and I am sure will make our co-pilots in particular, very happy!"

I stated "who gives" as this thread is obviously designed for the wannabees' forum. The KA debate I believe was accidental, but go on with it anyway.