Flybe extends global sharing agreement on Hong Kong services
AIRLINE Flybe, the largest passenger carrier at Birmingham Airport, has further expanded its global reach with a second major codesharing agreement in less than a month.
The latest agreement is with Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific, which Flybe said would strengthen its customer offering by allowing passengers easier onward connections.
In November the airline reached a similar agreement with Irish flagcarrier Aer Lingus.
The latest agreement builds upon Flybe’s current codeshare partnerships with Air France, British Airways, Etihad, Finnair and KLM, along with 17 interline partners that includes Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, Air Portugal and Qatar Airways.
Starting on Monday December 8, Flybe customers in Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Exeter, Inverness, Isle of Man and Southampton will be able to use a single ticket to fly from their local airport to Hong Kong via seamless connection through Manchester Airport onto Cathay Pacific’s new four times a week direct flight from Manchester to Hong Kong.
Established in 1946, Cathay Pacific Airways is Hong Kong’s flagship carrier which serves more than 90 destinations in some 35 countries across Asia, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa.
Paul Simmons, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Our new codeshare agreement with Cathay Pacific is another exciting development for the new Flybe. We are now giving customers in the UK regions access to Hong Kong through Manchester Airport and relieving them of the need to undertake long road or rail journeys to the UK’s congested south east hub airports. This new one stop to China service reinforces our commitment to provide one stop to the world connections for customers in the UK regions.”
Rupert Hogg, Cathay Pacific’s Chief Operating Officer, added: “This new agreement comes at the perfect time as we will be launching a four-times-weekly service between Hong Kong and Manchester on December 8. The codeshare flights with Flybe will provide our passengers with greater choice and ease of connection to different cities within the UK from Hong Kong via Manchester.”
