IBNLive.com: Breaking news from India

 

Font Size A+A-

Cathay Pacific 'gives value' to India

TimePublished on Mon, May 01, 2006 at 18:58, Updated on Mon, May 01, 2006 at 19:08 in Business section


ibnlive.com is on mobile now. Read news, watch videos
be a Citizen Journalist. Log on to m.ibnlive.com NOW!

Related Stories

    Photogallery

    Find us on Facebook | Join IBNLive community

    Stay ahead with G-Talk Buddy | Click now!

    Ads by Google

    New Delhi: Cathay Pacific is expanding its cargo operations from India, adding Chennai to its network besides Delhi and Mumbai, saying the country was emerging as one of the world's fastest growing cargo markets.

    While the twice-weekly direct freighter flights between Hong Kong and Chennai would be launched from June 2, Cathay already operates three cargo flights each week from Delhi and Mumbai, the airline's General Manager (Middle East, India and Africa) Tom Wright said.

    He said that more freighter services would be added on the India route when additional aircraft are inducted in the fleet. Wright announced that a new office would be opened at Jalandhar on Wednesday to cater to the needs of growing number of passengers from Punjab, who, he said, contributed around 18 per cent of revenue for it and other airlines.

    Observing that Cathay Pacific was giving ‘value for money’ to consumers from India, Wright said they were not looking at any promotional fares or packages for the Indian travelers at the moment.

    Asked to comment on Indian government's decision to impose a 12.24 per cent service tax on First and Business Class travel out of the country, he said the measure was too new to have an impact. "We still have tremendous demand and there is no noticeable impact (of this tax) as yet," he added.

    To questions on the zooming jet fuel prices, Wright said the airline had already sought permission from Hong Kong authorities to raise the fuel surcharge from the present levels. However, he did not disclose what percentage of hike the airline was looking at.

    On whether the airline was considering expanding its passenger operations from India, Wright said the air traffic rights granted to it was being fully utilised, though it wanted to expand its network further.

    This, he said, would depend on the bilateral agreement between India and the Hong Kong authorities, which still deals with aviation related matters despite the island state's

    merger with China.

    General Manager (Cargo) Ron Mathison said Chennai was a major air cargo centre for textiles and clothing industry and would be a useful addition to Cathay's global freighter network.

    "We will look to adding more freighter services to India later this year when we get more aircraft capacity", he said.

    Ads by Google
    Related Ads:

    Copyright © IBNLive.com. All rights reserved. Reproduction of news articles, photos, videos or any other content in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of IBNLive.com is prohibited.

    Maybe my sweat glands have got used to being so lazy that they refuse to do what they're meant to do...make sweat!

    Follow Megha Mamgain as she burns the extra kilos on CNN-IBN, Sat: 12:30 pm,
    6:30 pm
    and Sun: 2:30 pm

    IBNpolitics.com: India's most comprehensive website on General Elections 2009 news, view, analysis, statistics on the national elections.

    About Us | Disclaimer | Careers @ IBN | RSS | Podcast | Contact Us | Feedback | Advertise With Us | Connect.in.com

    © 2009 IBNLive.com India. All Rights Reserved. A Web18 Venture

    CNN name, logo and all associated elements ® and © 2009 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. CNN and the CNN logo are registered marks of Cable News Network, LP LLLP, displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.

    Site powered by URBANEYE