Cathay Pacific Airways celebrates 30 years of service in the UAE

The service milestone highlights Cathay Pacific Airways' long-standing commitment to the UAE, as one of the first international carriers in the emirates, which has grown synonymously with Dubai.

In 1977, the first Cathay Pacific commercial flight to Dubai left Hong Kong, making its way across Asia, stopping in Bangkok and Mumbai before crossing the Arabian Gulf to land in the UAE. At that time, Cathay Pacific's fleet consisted of 12 B707s and 3 TriStars. It was the B707, which opened the routes beyond Asia and Australia to the UAE.

The beginning of its service to the UAE also marked the starting point in a course of expansion that has led to the ever growing network of intercontinental services now provided by Cathay Pacific. The airline is the fourth biggest operator of Boeing 747 and the biggest operator of Airbus A330. Cathay Pacific is currently ordering more aircrafts at a total cost of about Dhs19bn.

Henry Chan, Cathay Pacific's Country Manager for UAE and Oman said "Cathay Pacific has seen incredible growth in the past thirty years. We are very thankful to the UAE for welcoming us onto their soil. Our customers universally recognize that in this time, the evolution of Cathay Pacific Airways and our heritage has been built on our dedication to upholding the quality of our services. We look forward to scaling new heights in the future by providing our new and loyal customers with more top-of-the-line features and conveniences while continuing to deliver safe and exceptional service straight from our heart."

The airline's initial services in the UAE consisted of 3 flights from Dubai and 1 flight from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong via Mumbai and Bangkok. Since then, the airline's route network has expanded tremendously and now offers 10 non-stop flights between Dubai and Hong Kong per week. The airline also operates 4 weekly flights from Dubai to Hong Kong via Mumbai and Bangkok.

General Manager of Orient Travel Mr. Asim Arshad congratulates Cathay Pacific Airways on their 30 years in UAE. He said, "Cathay Pacific has always been our preferred airline and natural choice to offer to our customers. Its 30 years of operation with consistent growth speaks to its commitment and progress with the UAE". He further adds, "We trust Cathay Pacific's products and services, and cannot help, but appreciate the airline's friendly staff that always makes working with Cathay Pacific an enjoyable experience."

Reporting a 23.5% growth in the number of visitors to Hong Kong from the UAE, Cathay Pacific offers passengers from Dubai more opportunities to travel to Asia, USA, Australia, and Canada than any other airline servicing the region. Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific cargo operations, which started in Dubai in 1982 remains as a strong business segment for the airline. Cathay Pacific has been a major cargo operator out of Europe and Hong Kong and currently operates 60 freighters a week.

The expanding services offered by Cathay Pacific in this short period reflects the maturation of the UAE as both a business hub and important market for the aviation industry, and further reinstates the country and airline's invested cooperation.

Honoring Cathay Pacific's 30th milestone, His Excellency, Gao Youzhen, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Dubai said "On behalf of the People's Republic of China, I would like to express my deepest congratulations to Cathay Pacific Airways, which has served the UAE for 30 years. The airline is greatly appreciated for its chief role in promoting trade and tourism relations between the PRC and UAE, and HKG/SAR and UAE. I wish Cathay Pacific can continue serving the UAE and paving the way in aviation for many years to come. "

The 30th anniversary of Cathay Pacific marks remarkable advancements for the airline, establishing it as a truly a premium international airline in the UAE. A major source of pride for the airline has been its recent merger with Dragonair. The merger now allows customers to travel to over 20 new destinations in Mainland China via Hong Kong. Furthermore, the airline has recently introduced its First Class and newly improved Business Class services on its Dubai-Hong Kong route.