The Hindu Business Line : Cathay Pacific bullish on prospects in India

"India is a key focus area for the airline. Where cargo is concerned India accounts for 35 per cent of the airline's revenue and it is growing. As the number of aircraft in the fleet grows, we would consider launching more cargo flights here," the airline's Bahrain-based General Manager, West Asia, India and Africa, Mr Tom Wright, said.

The airline is to start operating a twice-a-week freighter flight on the Hong Kong-Mumbai-Chennai-Hong Kong sector with a Boeing 747-200 aircraft from June 2 this year.

At present, the airline freighter service to India includes a three-times-a-week flight to Mumbai that continues to Dubai and Paris and then returns to Hong Kong through Dubai.

While the airline is keen to operate more passenger flights here, it is yet to firm up the cities to which it would operate these. At the moment the airline operates four times a week to both Mumbai and Delhi.

However, keeping in mind the growing passenger demand the airline has opened a new General Sales Agent office in Jullundur.

"In north India, Punjab is an important market and accounts for 30 per cent of all sales in the region," said Mr Wright.

Expansion

The airline has planned a gradual expansion throughout the region, a process that could see it open an office in Jaipur.

"No date has been fixed for opening an office in Jaipur. But if we were to consider opening another office it would probably be in Jaipur," the airline's Manager, Delhi and Northern India, Mr Richard McCallum, said.

Meanwhile, with the continuous northward movement in oil prices, the airline has applied to the Hong Kong authorities to levy an additional fuel surcharge.

At present, the airline charges a fuel surcharge of $43.30 on long-haul flights including those to India.