Cathay Pacific boosts frequency of Vancouver to Hong Kong flights

One of Vancouver International Airport’s (YVR) most frequent and longest direct international routes is set to become even more frequent.

Cathay Pacific announced today that it will increase its weekly flights from YVR to Hong Kong International Airport from 14 flights – two flights per day – to 17 flights. Altogether, this represents an additional 87,360 seats into YVR.

The frequency increase will begin in April 2017 and utilize the new state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which features high ceilings, wider seats, large windows with auto-mechanical window shades, a new generation entertainment system with large Panasonic screens, and larger overhead baggage bins.

Comparable to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, this will be the first time the new A350-900 will be used on a Canadian route.

The additional flights will be added on select days of the week and it represents a return to the route’s frequencies prior to the 2008 recession. From November 2007 to December 2008, the Hong Kong-based airline operated the YVR route with 17 to 21 weekly flights.

“It’s exciting to be able to grow our operations in Canada,” said Nick Hays, Vice President Canada of Cathay Pacific Airways, in a statement.  “As a China and Asia travel specialist, it’s our pleasure to provide more choice, convenience and world-class service to passengers travelling between Vancouver and Hong Kong and beyond to our unrivalled Asia and China network.”

YVR is also directly connected to Hong Kong by Air Canada’s daily non-stop service. With BC’s booming tourism industry and the continued addition of new and improved flight services, the airport is on target to reach a record 21.3 million passengers by the end of the year – one million more than 2016.

New and improved major YVR routes 2015/2016

• March 15, 2015: Manila, Philippines and New York City, U.S.A. – Philippine Airlines adds four weekly flights to its route from Manila to NYC, with a stop in Vancouver.
• March 29, 2015: Paris, France – Air France begins three times weekly non-stop flight service, with five times weekly schedules during the summer months.
• May 1, 2015: Osaka, Japan – Air Canada Rouge begins five times weekly service to Kansai International Airport.
• June 26, 2015: Kungming, China – China Eastern Airlines begins three times weekly flight service via Shanghai.
• December 9, 2015: Mexico City, Mexico – Aeromexico to begin daily non-stop flight service.
• January 1, 2016: Orlando International Airport – WestJet to begin twice weekly non-stop seasonal flight service.
• January 20, 2016: Orlando-Sanford International Airport – National Airlines to begin two times weekly seasonal flight service.
• February 15, 2016: Cancun, Mexico – Air Canada to begin weekly, non-stop seasonal service.
• May 1, 2016: London Heathrow Airport – British Airways to use an AirBus A380 superjumbo jet for its existing daily non-stop London Heathrow Airport service. The A380 will only be used during the summer months.
• May 6, 2016: London Gatwick Airport – WestJet to begin six times weekly non-stop flight service.
• May 9, 2016: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport – Air Canada to begin twice daily, non-stop service to San Jose.
• June 1, 2016: Brisbane, Australia – Air Canada to begin daily non-stop flight service.
• June 2, 2016: San Diego International Airport – Air Canada to begin daily, non-stop seasonal service.
• June 4, 2016: Chicago O’Hare International Airport – Air Canada to begin daily, non-stop service.
• June 10, 2016: Dublin Airport – Air Canada to begin seasonal non-stop flight service.
• June 29, 2016: London, Ontario – WestJet to begin four times weekly non-stop seasonal flight service.
• June 29, 2016: Halifax, Nova Scotia – WestJet to begin four times weekly non-stop seasonal flight service.
• June 30, 2016: Hamilton, Ontario – WestJet to begin three times weekly non-stop seasonal flight service.
• July 25, 2016: Xiamen, China – Xiamen Airlines to begin three times weekly non-stop flight service.
• October 20, 2016: Delhi, India – Air Canada to begin three times weekly non-stop flight service.
• December 30, 2016: Hangzhou, China via Qingdao, China – Beijing Capital Airlines to begin three times weekly service.