Cathay Pacific to Introduce NZ-Moscow service

Cathay Pacific to Introduce the Fastest Service Between
New Zealand and Moscow

Cathay Pacific Airways has announced that it will start operating to Moscow on July 13 with three flights a week departing Hong Kong every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, subject to government approval. The airline announced its plan to fly to the Russian capital about a month ago.

With the introduction of Moscow on the Cathay Pacific network, Cathay Pacific will offer the fastest, most direct and most convenient service from Auckland to Moscow. Passengers can depart from Auckland every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1.20 pm, and arrive at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport at 7.05 am, the next morning, via a short stopover in Hong Kong.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Tony Tyler said: “We are pleased that things are moving quickly, enabling us to start the new service in the summer as planned. There has been a big increase in the number of travellers between the Hong Kong SAR and the Russian Federation since visa-free arrangements were introduced last year, and our new service will accelerate the development of ties between the two places.”

The Moscow service will be the second new destination to be launched by the airline this year and will become the 48th online passenger destination in its global network. The new four-times-weekly service to Milan, which launches on 28 March, has already had a positive reception from the market.

The current code-share arrangement between Cathay Pacific and Aeroflot on the latter’s flights between Hong Kong and Moscow will cease on 28 March 2010. Alternative arrangements for Cathay Pacific ticket holders have already been made.

To celebrate the launch of the new service, Cathay Pacific has announced special return economy class fares from Auckland to Moscow of $1879, plus $90.68 Government and airport taxes, and from Auckland to St Petersburg of $2079 plus $180.48 Government and airport charges. (Travellers to St Petersburg will fly on Aeroflot from Moscow to St Petersburg and a stopover is permitted in Moscow). These fares are also available for an extra $100 from Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown, with travel via Auckland or Australia, depending on the city of departure. These special fares are valid for departures through to 30 November but must be purchased by 14 March.

Ian Herald, marketing services manager for Cathay Pacific in New Zealand, says that the new services will appeal to the many Russians now living in New Zealand but also to the increasing numbers of New Zealanders who now travel to Russia on business or on leisure to experience what this increasingly popular tourist destination has to offer.

“The South West Pacific is also attracting an increasing number of tourists from Russia and with Cathay Pacific’s network covering eight destinations across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, we expect to see good growth in the number of inbound tourists from Russia as well.”

ENDS

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