CX axing KL; 5 A330s to KA
 

Dragonair to operate flights to Kuala Lumpur

Dragonair today announced that it will operate four daily flights between Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur commencing early next year, further strengthening the airline’s regional network.

The new flights will be introduced progressively between March and May 2017.

Kuala Lumpur will become Dragonair’s third destination in Malaysia, as the airline already operates 11 weekly flights to Penang and five weekly flights to Kota Kinabalu. Together with Kuala Lumpur, Dragonair will be operating 44 weekly flights to Malaysia.

Cathay Pacific will cease its four daily flights to Kuala Lumpur upon the launch of the new Dragonair service. Additionally, five of Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A330 aircraft will be transferred to the Dragonair fleet to support the airline’s operation and growth.

Paul Loo, Director Corporate Development & IT of the Cathay Pacific Group, said:

“This is part of our overall growth strategy for the Group. The aircraft transfer will also help to optimise the Group’s training abilities. We continually review the expansion and growth plans for both Cathay Pacific and Dragonair, the latter of which will be renamed Cathay Dragon in November.

“The Cathay Pacific Group of airlines remains committed to grow with the Malaysian market, and will continue to provide the same high level of product and service to our customers travelling to and from Malaysia.

“While Dragonair is launching services to Kuala Lumpur, Cathay Pacific is also growing its network of destinations, as reflected by our latest launch to Madrid in June and the upcoming service to Gatwick in London next month. More long-haul flights are planned for 2017. The airline is expanding its fleet with the delivery of two state-of-the art Airbus A350 aircraft already and expects to take delivery of 20 more A350s by the end of 2017.”

The nearly 2 year "short term" training ban, DEFO and now aircraft going to KA. Should be absolutely fine, don't worry about it. No way any of that could possibly slow down any upgrades.

Vote for Rod!

Enjoy the Sunway Lagoon dive my KA brothers and sisters!!

Dragon stagnated for years during their contract compliance. Its part of the price to be paid.

Are you sending seconded Captains with the jets?

I'm sure the powers to be all over it, but it seems like quite a training challenge? KA seniority generally dictates a new 330 Capt slot sees a CCQ from the 320 to 330 and a "lucky-dip" possibly successful upgrade on the 320.

Likely 320 command failures clog up the training system and battle fatigue on the 320 seems to be an emerging factor. Has the python digested the pig yet too? Localization got a little ahead of itself and experience and willingness to upgrade a factor.

Anyways, I love it when a plan comes together.......

Xwl

You really think the aircraft going to KA and taking over KL is because if the TB, you really have no idea do you.

Next you'll say the rebranding of KA was because of the TB.

Get it through your thick head, CX was always going to make KA into "Cathay regional" and dimwits actually think it's retaliation to the all powerful pilot unions and capitulate giving the company a win for something that was always on the cards. :ugh:

Those people at the time arguing to vote against the TA, disregarding any potential consequences at the time will obviously now say that the consequences forecast by the "for" camp which are now coming true were always planned all along. The alternative would be to admit that they were wrong and that the others were right all along. Hell will freeze over before that happens.

Really? U think RF knew this was coming? If so huge mistake! Everyone else KNEW what the company could do but obviously he didn't. Ok RF show us our leverage!!!

Haha, we ain't got any brew! We are the ones left with a black eye now. Better put the shades on so the company don't see the suffering :cool: :yuk:

Avinthenews,

Sorry you're right. Of course a ban on training which means they can't train/upgrade as many people, and extra airframes getting sent to KA won't have any effect. Probably speed up time to upgrade if anything. Hold the line gents, nothing to worry about.

This might actually make sense - if only KA actually had a lower cost base! What they are doing is a reverse whipsaw - literally cutting off their noses to spite their own face. At least the KA boys can benefit from a bit of overtime for as long as they can keep this up - until the shareholders revolt that is.

This has more to do with some old airframes needing repainting.

Anyone visiting the paint shop would note that they have gone long on red. Cheaper by a few cents a gallon and more politically acceptable in some close-by jurisdictions than green.

This move actually makes commercial sense given that KA does Penang.

Ultimately it makes no overall change to the equation of total CX Group airframes vs capacity to crew them.

Woah, 5 aircraft. Now that's optimistic. I think there's only been 3 successful command upgrades all year. We would have difficulty taking on one aircraft at this stage. I wouldn't worry too much about the CX SO training at KA. That will have to take the back burner as we somehow up grade 30 A330 captains, pass 30 new A320 captains ( 90% fail rate at this stage) and train 60 new FO s. That is daunting. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it will need a change of philosophy in the checking department.

At the risk of repeating myself, you CX guys are mad. There are a bunch of pilots who haven't even been employed yet by KA who will have commands in 2 years. While you guys sit there as FOs for 10, 15 maybe 20 years before getting a shot. Does that make sense??? We are becoming more and more integrated. Take advantage of it.

Also, 5 aircraft is overkill for just doing KL flights. I'm sure there will be other destinations.

Cebu, Fukuoka, Surabaya, Denpasar all supposedly on the transfer list

KA already does Fukuoka and Denpasar.

Oh please please take PEK and PVG. And then MNL. Then I'll show you a happy Airbus Captain.

I am praying for this to happen. PEK, PVG and MNL. All my Christmas's in one!

:D:D:D can't wait

If all those ports transfer, I will take back every negative thing i've ever said about management. They will have proven to be geniuses if they accomplish that. :D:ok::cool:

(while they're at it, how about giving them a few clapped out ER's and take EWR, ORD. We can rebrand them CathayDragonEagle).