11/08/2019 16:47

Will Cathay Pacific distort the balance?

Код: [IMG=18587-4169] On the 12th of December the Hong Kong based airline company Cathay Pacific announced direct flights Hong Kong – Moscow – Manchester. Flights will operate three times a week starting from the 27th of March of the next year by A-340-300 planes. This way, considering Aeroflot’s flights, the intensity of flights between Moscow and Hong Kong will rise to 7 flights per week. At the press-conference devoted to the expected flights journalists were told the strong features of the company. Cathay Pacific plans to attract passengers by their high service onboard: in business class as well as economy class, seats feature individual video screens; the carrier’s strong point is considered to be the various menu. In 2005 Skytrax consulting company, which draw up aviation ratings, recognized Cathay Pacific as the airline of the year. The weak point of transportation of such a level is usually its higher price (at the moment the tariff is $900 while you can fly by Aeroflot to Hong Kong for $830). Yet the difference at such an intensive destination, according to experts interviewed by BANKO, is unlikely to become the key factor in determining the choice of passengers. According to Andrey Surikov, senior manager of China of ‘Express Line’ company, apart from the service, Cathay Pacific can interest tourists by convenient changes in Hong Kong as it is based there. Dmitry Gora, head of South-East Asia at ‘Tourbureau Msocow’ believes that the arrival of the Hong Kong airline company can also reflect on airline tickets: ‘The existing flights are not enough, the depth of sales is good, tickets are sold easily. Competition is welcomed in the segment, so that it was not only Aeroflot operating in it’. And we should admit that this opinion sounds very reasonable if you look at the situation which occurred on another route: Moscow-Bangkok. In November new flights of another large Asian airline company ‘Thai Airways’ emerged, and at the same time there was a large reduction in price. (see news as of 6.12)