Cathay Pacific to launch first service connecting New England and Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific Airways will begin four-times-weekly non-stop service from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Hong Kong (HKG) in May 2015, connecting New England directly to Hong Kong for the first time.

“The doors of Massachusetts are open to the world, and we are eager both to strengthen existing global relationships and to build new ones,” Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said in a news release. “This new service will allow us to continue to expand on these efforts and more easily connect and collaborate with innovators, inventors and investors in the Asian market.”

New England already enjoys strong business, educational and cultural ties with Hong Kong, which airline officials expect the non-stop connection will help further strengthen.

777-300 ER
“In addition to passenger demand, there is also an opportunity for increased freight from New England to Asia, due to the Boeing 777-300ER belly capacity, and connectivity through our new Cargo Terminal in Hong Kong to Cathay’s extensive Asian freighter network,” Tom Owen, Cathay Pacific’s senior vice president, Americas, said.

Starting May 3, 2015, flights will depart BOS on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 1:45 a.m. and will arrive at HKG at 5:35 a.m. the following day due to crossing the international date line. Flights will leave HKG on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. and arrive at BOS at 9:30 p.m. Schedules will be adjusted slightly in the winter of 2015. All times are local at the points of departure and arrival.

New long-haul Business Class
The new service, which is subject to government approval, makes BOS Cathay Pacific’s sixth gateway in the United States and eighth in North America. The airline currently serves Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), Toronto (YYZ) and Vancouver (YVR).

Cathay Pacific will operate a Boeing 777-300ER on the route. Passengers will be able to select from four cabin classes including a newly refreshed First Class, Business Class, a new Premium Economy class, and a new long-haul Economy Class.

According to SeatGuru.com, Cathay Pacific’s four-class 777-300ER offers more space than most other carriers, and significantly more than many. For example, its Economy Class seats are 18.5 inches wide with a pitch of 32 inches, while Premium Economy seats are 19.5 inches wide with a pitch of 38 inches. Flat bed seats in Business Class are 21 inches wide with a pitch of a whopping 81 inches, while the six open suites in First Class feature seats that are 36 inches wide and also provide 81 inches of pitch.

The airline has won multiple awards for its service, most recently receiving numerous honors in the 2014 SKYTRAX Awards, which named Cathay Pacific the Airline of the Year. It was also honored as among the world’s best airlines for all four cabin classes, its First and Business Class lounges, and its in-flight meals in all four cabin classes.

More information, including current fares and availability, may be found by visiting the airline’s website at cathaypacific.com/us. Cathay Pacific is a member of the oneworld alliance.

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