Cathay Pacific to launch fifth flight to Johannesburg

Cathay Pacific Airways today announced that it will in January add a fifth weekly flight to Johannesburg and also operate the service with a higher-capacity Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

The late-evening departure from Hong Kong and early-morning arrival back from Johannesburg will enable passengers to make smooth connections at Cathay Pacific's hub at Hong Kong International Airport to Taiwan, Japan, Korea, North America, Australia, New Zealand and points across Southeast Asia.

Cathay Pacific's additional flight, starting 6 January 2003, will, in conjunction with flights operated by code-share partner South African Airways, create a double-daily service three days a week. 

Johannesburg is a high-altitude airport. Climactic conditions during the hot summer in the Southern Hemisphere favour the operation of the larger and more powerful B747-400, which Cathay Pacific plans to deploy with the commencement of the additional flight. During the cooler winter months the airline's Airbus A340-300 is a more cost-effective option.

Cathay Pacific Director Corporate Planning Augustus Tang said: "Since Cathay Pacific started flying to South Africa in 1991 demand for our service has gone from strength to strength. The new flight will give customers added choice and convenience of connections across the entire Cathay Pacific network."