Cathay Pacific adds fourth daily Sydney-Hong Kong flight

Cathay Pacific is adding a fourth daily flight between Sydney and Hong Kong to its permanent schedule, with the decision to continue the current late-morning CX162 service past the proposed March 31st cut-off date.

The flight appeared on the Aussie summer (or more correctly, northern winter) schedule but was not slated to continue "from the beginning of April, when we go into the northern summer schedule" Cathay Pacific Sales & Marketing Manager for Australia, Derek Morris, told Australian Business Traveller.

"But CX162, and the companion CX161 overnight service back from Hong Kong, will now remain on a permanent basis."

CX162 offers a welcome option to Sydney flyers with its 11.30am departure slotting almost perfectly between the 8.30am wheels-up for CX110 and the 3.40pm departure of CX100. The final daily service is the CX138 redeye leaving Sydney at 10.20pm.

Likewise, CX162's 5.50pm arrival into Hong Kong International Airport still leaves ample time for dinner and a good night's sleep (or a late-night cocktail) without requiring the early start of CX110 or the room-service club sandwich dictated by CX100's 10pm touchdown.

"It's all about giving our passengers more flexibility" Morris says. "The frequency choice is really a big thing, especially if you have an onwards connection. We've now got four flights daily out of Sydney, three out of Melbourne, almost a 'daily double' from Brisbane plus daily from Adelaide, Perth and Cairns."

The return flight CX161 leaves Hong Kong at 9.25pm and arrives in Sydney at 9.40am the following day and is one of Cathay's three overnight southbound services.

If you're contemplating any of these we strongly suggest booking a bunk in business class. You'll get the cubicle-style seat rather than the all-new seats but that's better than being stuck in the fixed-back economy seats and heading to the mandatory massage or chiropractor visit the following day.

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.