Cathay Pacific Celebrates 25 Years in Toronto

A sleek new jet will soon be flying Canadians to one of the world’s great destinations.

Cathay Pacific is marking its 25th anniversary of flights between Toronto and Hong Kong this year. They used the occasion to announce on Tuesday that they’ll be flying the Airbus A350-1000 between the two cities starting this Sunday, Oct. 27.

“It’s a fantastic airplane,” Cathay Pacific's Philippe Lacamp told TravelPulse Canada. “The air pressure in the cabin is equivalent to what you’d have at 6,000 feet. You actually feel better when you land.”

Right now Cathay Pacific flies 14 times a week Toronto to Hong Kong in peak season (summer) and seven in non-peak times. That will increase to 10 flights a week from Toronto with the new A350-1000, said Lacamp, the airline's senior vice president for The Americas.

Lacamp said one of the big pieces of news from Cathay is their recent purchase of Hong Kong Express, which provides a great, regional, complimentary service for short-haul fights in Asia.

Direct flights to Hong Kong from Washington DC were launched a year ago, and from Seattle about six months ago, he said.

Cathay Pacific is not only a great way to get to Hong Kong, but a wonderful way to reach other Asia destinations, including mainland China, the Philippines and Vietnam. Cathay Pacific also has flights to seven cities in India, which is important for the Canadian market.

Tuesday night’s event, held at the Art Gallery of Ontario, was a private affair featuring top names in the travel trade, including agents and officials from Hong Kong Tourism. Guests were treated to cocktails and wine, as well as Asian food and champagne.

Lacamp took time to thank agents and the travel trade for their commitment to Cathay Pacific. He also gave away a trip for two to Hong Kong in Cathay Pacific business class, with the lucky winner being agent Diana Plumpton of CWT.

The largest member of the A350 family, Cathay Pacific’s A350-1000s will carry a total of 334 passengers across its Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class cabins, 54 more passengers more than the airline’s A350-900s.

Through the combined network of Cathay Pacific and sister airline Cathay Dragon, Thailand’s stunning beaches and vibrant festivals, Bali’s picturesque temples and Vietnam’s staggering natural beauty are all easily accessible. Connections south to Australia are well timed providing a natural choice to explore the country’s thriving cities and countless bucket-list destinations, with Cathay Pacific ensuring the journey is one of comfort and style.

Passenger well-being was at the heart of the design process for the new cabin interiors. Featuring a brand-new economy class seat with a larger, higher definition personal television; LED mood lighting; enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity; cabins that are 50% quieter in perceived levels of external noise; and a higher cabin pressure that supplies more oxygen to lower the effective cabin cruising altitude to 6,000 feet, which reduces passenger fatigue. The advanced inflight entertainment system featuring newly announced live coverage of the best sporting events in partnership with channel Sport 24, includes the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and the Hong Kong Sevens next year.

Cathay Pacific offers 14 flights weekly non-stop between Vancouver and Hong Kong, 10 flights weekly non-stop from Toronto to Hong Kong in non-peak times and a daily non-stop service between Vancouver and New York (JFK).