Cathay Pacific has announced new direct non-stop routes to Brussels, Dublin and Copenhagen

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Inquirer
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Cathay Pacific has announced new direct non-stop routes to Brussels, Dublin and Copenhagen

Post by Inquirer »

Cathay Pacific is currently hinting on its Facebook page they are going to announce flights to BRU!?

lucas
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by lucas »

Inquirer wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 19:03 Cathay Pacific is currently hinting on its Facebook page they are going to announce flights to BRU!?
That should be very bad news for Air Belgium! :(

brabel
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by brabel »

Inquirer wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 19:03 Cathay Pacific is currently hinting on its Facebook page they are going to announce flights to BRU!?
what is the hint exactly?

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babolat-blast
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by babolat-blast »

https://www.facebook.com/cathaypacificH ... 822702119/

Here is the link. Seems their new destinations are all countries with a rich beer culture. You have to guess the countries based on the beers that appear on the screen. As there is 1 country with a huge nr of beers.... maybe Brussels is one of the new destinations :)

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babolat-blast
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by babolat-blast »

According to a CX insider on airliners.net one of the destinations starts with a B... They will also close a destination in Europe. So, will they move DUS to BRU? Cause wouldn't AMS, DUS and BRU be a little too much?

VEX802
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by VEX802 »

Apparently it's Copenhagen, Brussels and Dallas. Not sure what Dallas has to do with beer but a leaked memo on another site lists these three.

Inquirer
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by Inquirer »

brabel wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 19:52
Inquirer wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 19:03 Cathay Pacific is currently hinting on its Facebook page they are going to announce flights to BRU!?
what is the hint exactly?
Cathay Pacific run a contest on their official Facebook page in which you have to guess their 3 new destinations, all related to beer.

One is starting with a B and counting 8 letters, the other 2 are starting with a C and a D and counting 10 and 6 letters respectively... personally I would have guessed the latter would be Dublin, but somebody here above mentions it's Dallas?

Anyway, looks like Brussels is almost a given and as was said, this doesn't look like it's very good news for those start up projects willing to focus on Hong Kong.

OTOH, its great news for BRU airport!

brabel
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by brabel »

Inquirer wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 21:16
brabel wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 19:52
Inquirer wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 19:03 Cathay Pacific is currently hinting on its Facebook page they are going to announce flights to BRU!?
what is the hint exactly?
Cathay Pacific run a contest on their official Facebook page in which you have to guess their 3 new destinations, all related to beer.

One is starting with a B and counting 8 letters, the other 2 are starting with a C and a D and counting 10 and 6 letters respectively... personally I would have guessed the latter would be Dublin, but somebody here above mentions it's Dallas?

Anyway, looks like Brussels is almost a given and as was said, this doesn't look like it's very good news for those start up projects willing to focus on Hong Kong.

OTOH, its great news for BRU airport!
Call me stupid, but how do u know the starting letters?

Poiu
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by Poiu »

Inquirer wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 21:16
brabel wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 19:52
Inquirer wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 19:03 Cathay Pacific is currently hinting on its Facebook page they are going to announce flights to BRU!?
what is the hint exactly?
Cathay Pacific run a contest on their official Facebook page in which you have to guess their 3 new destinations, all related to beer.

One is starting with a B and counting 8 letters, the other 2 are starting with a C and a D and counting 10 and 6 letters respectively... personally I would have guessed the latter would be Dublin, but somebody here above mentions it's Dallas?

Anyway, looks like Brussels is almost a given and as was said, this doesn't look like it's very good news for those start up projects willing to focus on Hong Kong.

OTOH, its great news for BRU airport!
Brisbane is quite famous for his breweries, Denver has a beer fest and Cincinnati was "built" on beer.

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luchtzak
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by luchtzak »

Poiu wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 23:14Brisbane is quite famous for his breweries, Denver has a beer fest and Cincinnati was "built" on beer.
Ohh please! After the entire "Brussels as new destinations"-thing has started you are launching Brisbane! :lol:

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lumumba
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by lumumba »

Is Cathay Pacific not a One World member!!!!!
They have nothing to search here....
Hasta la victoria siempre.

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tolipanebas
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by tolipanebas »

lumumba wrote: 30 Aug 2017, 00:01 Is Cathay Pacific not a One World member!!!!!
They have nothing to search here....
Cathay Pacific wants to offer its passengers more than just the handful of European gateways it flies to itself, yet is out of partners to conveniently connect with and open up the whole of Europe.

Indeed, both of Europe's big Oneword hubs served by them are located eccentric (LHR, MAD), while it doesn't serve HEL and thus isn't very willing to hand over all their pax to Finnair through a full codeshare...
DUS would theoretically be an option too and was basically their last hope (hence it was opened a few years ago), yet the situation at Air Berlin... well: no comment. ;)

In short, Oneworld's partners are not really very helpful to them in Europe, hence Cathay Pacific has entered into an extensive codeshare agreement with the wider Lufthansa Group in March already:
https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_HK/ ... ement.html

BTW, with the pending demise of Air Berlin, their 4 times weekfly flight to DUS is under serious thread of being axed soon... or moved to BRU, maybe, after which they can add a few more (French) dots to their route offering through connecting at BRU? ;)
Moving an Asian longhaul route from a nearby airport to BRU, driven by the prospect of better loads through being able to work together with the homebased carrier: now, where have we seen that before?

8-)
Last edited by tolipanebas on 30 Aug 2017, 08:14, edited 1 time in total.

Stij
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by Stij »

I definitely hope they'll come!
Not just for HKG, but changing in HKG is much more easy than it is in PEK.

Cheers,

Stij

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quixoticguide
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by quixoticguide »

luchtzak wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 23:29
Poiu wrote: 29 Aug 2017, 23:14Brisbane is quite famous for his breweries, Denver has a beer fest and Cincinnati was "built" on beer.
Ohh please! After the entire "Brussels as new destinations"-thing has started you are launching Brisbane! :lol:
CX already flies to Brisbane
Visit my flights on: http://www.quixoticguide.com

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lumumba
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by lumumba »

tolipanebas wrote: 30 Aug 2017, 08:06
lumumba wrote: 30 Aug 2017, 00:01 Is Cathay Pacific not a One World member!!!!!
They have nothing to search here....
Cathay Pacific wants to offer its passengers more than just the handful of European gateways it flies to itself, yet is out of partners to conveniently connect with and open up the whole of Europe.

Indeed, both of Europe's big Oneword hubs served by them are located eccentric (LHR, MAD), while it doesn't serve HEL and thus isn't very willing to hand over all their pax to Finnair through a full codeshare...
DUS would theoretically be an option too and was basically their last hope (hence it was opened a few years ago), yet the situation at Air Berlin... well: no comment. ;)

In short, Oneworld's partners are not really very helpful to them in Europe, hence Cathay Pacific has entered into an extensive codeshare agreement with the wider Lufthansa Group in March already:
https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_HK/ ... ement.html

BTW, with the pending demise of Air Berlin, their 4 times weekfly flight to DUS is under serious thread of being axed soon... or moved to BRU, maybe, after which they can add a few more (French) dots to their route offering through connecting at BRU? ;)
Moving an Asian longhaul route from a nearby airport to BRU, driven by the prospect of better loads through being able to work together with the homebased carrier: now, where have we seen that before?

8-)
Thx for the explanation I understand better....
It's a bit pity for Air Belgium.
Hasta la victoria siempre.

Inquirer
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by Inquirer »

Indeed, after reading Tolipanebas' reply, I think the case for Cathay Pacific to switch from DUS to BRU seems quite convincing to me too at first sight, although I am always biased when it comes to these matters, of course.

Anyway, I don't think it's only just speculation any longer nor is it ment to be kept as a big secret, since Cathay basically starts giving it away themselves on their Facebook page, but still: it is awfully quiet on the front of those who normally are in the know about new routes to BRU.
Maybe because they are currently barred from commenting on it, which in itself means it must be true indeed. Sometimes silence speaks a thousand words too...
Any idea about when this will be formally announced?
tolipanebas wrote: 30 Aug 2017, 08:06 Moving an Asian longhaul route from a nearby airport to BRU, driven by the prospect of better loads through being able to work together with the homebased carrier: now, where have we seen that before?
8-)
I guess you're talking about ANA, which indeed moved a flight from CDG to BRU in order to work together with Brussels Airlines.
What's more: they even did that relatively short notice, just before the start of the winter season, so one could very well see a repeat here, especially as their alliance partner Air Berlin in DUS is soon no longer going to be around anyway.
lumumba wrote: 30 Aug 2017, 10:08 It's a bit pity for Air Belgium.
There's still a lot of smoke around that project's real intentions, but their first and initially also their only route was indeed going to be Hong Kong: I think it's safe to say this news will not be very welcomed by them if it gets official confirmation, to say the very least!

If the driving force behind all this is indeed as described above by tolipanebas, I can already imagine the vendors of conspricacy theories will florish again! :roll:

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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by ezis_bis »

Inquirer wrote: 30 Aug 2017, 10:34 What's more: they even did that relatively short notice, just before the start of the winter season, so one could very well see a repeat here, especially as their alliance partner Air Berlin in DUS is soon no longer going to be around anyway.
Am I wrong or does CX already work very well together with some *A carriers like LH, NZ, OS and LX?
Adding SN instead of AB could help

I know this might be bad for a potential Air Belgium, but let's face it, CX is a formidable player. If they operate BRU-HKG instead of an unknown, unproven carrier, this would be great for BRU airport

Inquirer
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by Inquirer »

ezis_bis wrote: 30 Aug 2017, 10:40 Am I wrong or does CX already work very well together with some *A carriers like LH, NZ, OS and LX?
Adding SN instead of AB could help
Yes, several members have posted links all dating back to the beginning of this year in which Cathay indeed announced signing a codeshare agreement with the Lufthansa group, yet at that point it was 'just' Lufthansa proper, Swiss and Austrian, probably as those were the only members whose hubs have links with that of Cathay in Hong Kong?

As you say, I woudn't be surprised to see Brussels Airlines also being mobilized in support of this new Cathay route to BRU, similar to how they are helping ANA fill their Tokio flight too, which incidentally is another Asian carrier who was lured into switching from a nearby airport to BRU, exactly for this purpose.

The pieces of this puzzle all seem to match really good indeed; now let's see if indeed they fall into place.

convair
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by convair »

Tolipanebas is usually very well informed. He probably can't give a full confirmation, but his hints are quite clear, imho. I would be surprised if it's not confirmed within a few days, including some code-shares with SN.

Inquirer
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Re: BRU Winter 2017-18: news, new routes, airlines

Post by Inquirer »

I wonder if this route needs approval from the Russians too?
Otherwise it may prevent B.air from formally adding their flight code to it, just like I remember they cannot do on the ANA flight to Tokyo either, this in retaliation for the EU sanctions against Russia.
Not that it seems to hinder them a lot: ANA has added its flight code on several routes from BRU and they seem to be doing well in BRU.
Very interesting indeed.

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