Daily Mirror - Print Edition

Cathay Pacific resumes flights to SL

03 Feb 2024 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}      

Sri Lanka this week welcomed the inaugural flight of Cathay Pacific Airways, CX 611, which arrived on February 1, 2024, at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). 
The largest carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, resumed flights to Sri Lanka after several years. 
The airline recommenced passenger flight operations using an Airbus 330-300 aircraft and according to its new flight schedule, flight operations will be carried out three days a week, including Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. 

Cathay Pacific has been catering to the Sri Lankan market for over 30 years, making it become one of the major and crucial airlines contributing to Sri Lanka’s tourism sector. The airline temporarily stopped flight operations in March 2020, due to the global pandemic situation. However, as pandemic relief, the airline operated a Boeing 747 freighter, carrying vital supplies, including Covid vaccines, during the pandemic. 
The newly resumed flight carried 253 passengers and they were very much impressed with the warm and colourful welcome they received and the cultural dancing performance organised by Sri Lanka Tourism at BIA. This will be a most important moment in history, as Cathay Pacific is an airline that currently operates to around 80 destinations in the world and will be an asset to Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, in bringing an increased number of tourist arrivals, promoting Sri Lanka as a top travel destination. This operation will benefit to attract passengers travelling out of Far East countries, especially from China and Hong Kong.