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Houston Airport System
May 7, 2008
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Cathay Pacific Airways. The carrier will launch three weekly flights from Houston in 2008.
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Three weekly flights will connect the energy capital of the world to one of Asia’s most important financial centers, beginning on September 2, 2008.
Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong’s largest airline, announced, this month, that they will become the newest Asian airline to operate all-cargo service from Houston.
Beginning on Tuesday, September 2, 2008, Cathay Pacific Airways will launch three weekly, all-cargo flights to Hong Kong from Houston. This historic new service will mark the first scheduled all cargo service to Hong Kong from Houston and will become the fourth scheduled Asian, all cargo service from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). |
China Airlines, Korean Air Cargo and EVA Air Cargo already operate all-cargo scheduled services from IAH. As a result of these new services, the airport has seen significant year-over-year traffic increases in air cargo operations.
In fact, through the month of March 2008, total international air cargo shipments had increased by 7 percent. The new Hong Kong-Houston service will further expand air cargo operations, airport authorities explain.
"We are very proud to welcome Cathay Pacific Airways' new all cargo scheduled air service to Houston. Hong Kong is an important international gateway, as is our city, and this new route will forge even stronger economic ties between the two," says Richard M. Vacar, director of the Houston Airport System. "Cathay Pacific becomes the fourth Asian carrier to launch all cargo flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport and that ultimately will benefit not only the local business community, but also stimulate greater international trade between the Houston region and the rapidly growing Chinese and Asian markets."
In 2007, total air cargo trade between Houston and Hong Kong was valued at more than $24 million.
"Houston is an important centre for the oil business. (This new service) will boost our network and provide better access and connectivity for our customers between Asia and North America via our home hub in Hong Kong," says Ron Mathison, Cathay Pacific director & general manager cargo.
The new Tuesday, Thursday and Friday service will be operated using a Boeing 747-400F freighter aircraft and will be routed via Anchorage and Miami before arriving in Houston. The next day departing flights will stop first in Anchorage before continuing on to Hong Kong.
Welcoming Cathay Pacific Airways will be the airport’s 120 acre-plus IAH CargoCenter, which can handle up to 20 widebody aircraft at a time. Last year, the Houston Airport System handled more than 400,000 metric tons of air cargo.
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