Cathay Pacific is expected to boost its belly cargo with increased flights to mainland China following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.
The Hong Kong-based airline said it would more than double its flights into the Chinese Mainland, operating 61 return flights per week between Hong Kong and 13 Mainland cities from January 14, 2023.
This compares to the 27 flights per week from Hong Kong to the Mainland and 50 flights per week from the Mainland to Hong Kong that the airline is currently operating.
"Cathay Pacific welcomes the Hong Kong SAR Government's latest measures to facilitate quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, as well as the lifting of transit restrictions, effective 8 January 2023," Cathay said.
Cathay Pacific added that it is "working actively" to resume and add more flights progressively between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland in the coming weeks, with the aim of operating over 100 return flights per week by March 2023.
It said that from January 8, the airline would increase its flights between Hong Kong and Beijing to 10 pairs per week and between Hong Kong and Shanghai (Pudong) to 21 pairs per week.
The airline is also resuming flights to Guangzhou with five return flights per week.
Meanwhile, from January 14, the airline will increase its flights between Hong Kong and Xiamen to four pairs per week and between Hong Kong and Chengdu to six pairs per week.
China lifted quarantine requirements for inbound travellers on January 8 few weeks before the Lunar New Year — finally reopening its borders after almost three years of self-imposed isolation as the country pushed its Zero-Covid policy.
"The Group remains fully committed to rebuilding the connectivity of the Hong Kong international aviation hub," Cathay Pacific said.
As a Group, the airline anticipates operating around 70% of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity by the end of 2023, with an aim to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024.