Search Results forurumqi
Cathay Pacific launches direct flights between Hong Kong and Urumqi from 28 April 2025
Cathay Pacific announces another addition to its expanding global network this year with the launch of direct flights between Hong Kong and Urumqi starting 28 April 2025. The new four-times-weekly return service will bring the Cathay Group’s combined passenger network in the Chinese Mainland to 20 destinations. This summer, Cathay Pacific and low-cost carrier HK Express will operate over 290 return flights per week between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. This includes Beijing (Capital International Airport and Daxing International Airport), Shanghai (Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport), Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Sanya, Urumqi, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Xi’an, Xiamen and Zhengzhou. Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “Urumqi is an exciting new addition to our network, directly connecting our home city with an important Belt and Road hub in Northwestern China. We are delighted to introduce Urumqi as the Cathay Group’s 11th new port announced so far this year, as we move one step closer to reaching 100 destinations globally in 2025. “As Hong Kong’s home airline, we have deep roots in our home city and are proudly part of China. We are committed to providing our customers with even more destination and flight choices when travelling between Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and beyond. We look forward to welcoming customers through our flights to experience what Urumqi has to offer.” Cathay Pacific’s new Hong Kong-Urumqi route will be operated by the airline’s Airbus A330-300 aircraft, providing customers with comfortable Business and Economy cabins. Flight schedules are as follows (all times local, subject to regulatory approval): Hong Kong – Urumqi (28 April 2025) Flight No. Origin Destination Departure Arrival Days of Operation CX998 Hong Kong (HKG) Urumqi (URC) 01:30 07:00 Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday CX997 Urumqi (URC) Hong Kong (HKG) 10:15 15:20 Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday Through the Cathay Group’s Hong Kong hub, customers travelling from the Chinese Mainland can connect to its extensive global network with destinations across Asia, Europe, North America, South West Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Under the Individual Visit Scheme, customers from Urumqi can also visit Hong Kong in their individual capacity. Aside from Urumqi, Cathay Pacific will launch direct flights to Hyderabad in March, Dallas in April, Rome and Munich in June, and Brussels in August this year. HK Express commenced services to Sendai in January and will launch direct flights to Nha Trang, Komatsu and Ishigaki in April, and Miyako (Shimojishima) in June. The two airlines project to operate passenger services to more than 100 destinations worldwide within 2025.
Cathay Group releases March 2025 traffic report
The Cathay Group today released its traffic figures for March 2025 today, 23rd April. Chief customer and commercial officer Lavinia Lau pointed out how the group continues to make good progress towards exceeding 100 passenger destinations within the first half of this year, particularly with the resumption of Cathay Pacific’s non-stop service to Hyderabad last month. This month, five new destinations are joining the Group’s global network, with Cathay Pacific launching services to Dallas and Urumqi in the coming days, and HK Express launching flights to Nha Trang, Ishigaki and Komatsu. HK Express has also recently announced the addition of Changzhou and Yiwu to its network in May. Lau said: “While March marked a quieter month for our travel business, our cargo business saw strong growth momentum as we entered the first traditional cargo peak of the year. However, the latest developments on trade tariffs are creating uncertainties that may cause disruptions to our cargo business, changes in travel demand, increased costs and pressure on supply chains, among other impacts. We are taking proactive steps to put ourselves in the best possible position in facing and mitigating these external forces as we remain aligned, agile and responsive in our approach.” Cathay Pacific performance in March Cathay Pacific carried 19.8 percent more passengers in March 2025 compared with March 2024, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) increased by 25.5 percent. In the first three months of 2025, the number of passengers carried increased by 23.4 percent compared with the same period for 2024. Lau explained: “While we saw softer demand for leisure travel in March due to the absence of long-weekend holidays in Hong Kong, demand for our premium cabins remained robust, driven by various mega-events and exhibitions in the city such as the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and Art Basel Hong Kong.” Sports tourism also proved to be a boon for the airline, given how the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens also generated strong inbound demand to Cathay Pacific’s home hub, particularly on a number of long-haul routes. Lau also proudly declared: “To commemorate the Sevens’ debut at the brand-new Kai Tak Sports Park and the 100th anniversary of Kai Tak Airport, which had been Cathay Pacific’s home for many decades, we were proud to stage a special flypast on the last day of the Sevens to mark our return to Kai Tak.” For this month and beyond, Lau pointed out that the airline experienced healthy demand over the Easter holiday. She said: “In addition, we are delighted to have recently announced that Cathay Pacific will be one of the very few airlines to offer both 100 percent seatback inflight entertainment and 100 percent high-speed inflight Wi-Fi connectivity across its fleet from August 2025.” How the cargo arm fared in March Cathay Cargo carried 10.6 percent more cargo in March 2025 than in March 2024. Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 8.5 percent while load factor decreased by 1.2 percentage points year on year. In the first three months of 2025, the total tonnage increased by 12% compared with the same period for 2024. According to Lau: “Specialist solutions continue to be our area of focus. We saw notable growth in Cathay Priority during the quarter end and are pleased to have launched our refreshed Cathay Fresh solution to provide a high-quality, dependable and consistent service for transporting perishables.” Cathay Cargo also achieved an industry first with its new intermodal cold-chain route via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, delivering chilled seafood from Southeast Asia into the Greater Bay Area through its hub in Hong Kong. Lau said: ”We expect a softening of general air cargo demand between the Chinese Mainland and the United States due to the ongoing tariff situation and de minimis rule changes from early May. However, our network strength and flexibility in redeploying our freighters will allow us to adapt and redirect our focus to emerging opportunities. We will stay close to the market and monitor the developments vigilantly.” HK Express in March The Group’s low-cost carrier HK Express carried more than 610,000 passengers in March, marking an increase of 25.4 percent year on year, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) grew by 35.6 percent. In the first three months of 2025, the number of passengers carried increased by 34.3 percent compared with the same period for 2024. Lau concluded her report by saying: “HK Express maintained its growth momentum in March, announcing more new destinations and adding flight capacity. Looking ahead at April onwards, we have seen solid demand over the Easter holiday amid a slower pickup for pre-summer and peak summer bookings with more customers booking closer to their departure dates.”
Cathay Group releases February 2025 traffic report
The Cathay Group released its traffic figures for Cathay Pacific, HK Express, and Cathay Cargo on Thursday, 20th March. February marked another positive month for the Cathay Group, as traffic figures were driven by the return travel peak over the Lunar New Year holiday. Cathay Pacific and HK Express jointly set a new post-pandemic record on 2nd February by carrying more than 111,000 passengers on a single day. Cathay’s chief commercial and customer officer Lavinia Lau added:”We are pleased to be adding even more exciting new destinations to our expanding global network as we move closer to exceeding 100 passenger destinations within this year.” Cathay Pacific will be launching flights to Hyderabad at the end of March, and also recently announced a new non-stop service to Urumqi starting from 28th April. Meanwhile, HK Express also announced new flights to Komatsu from 24th April, Cheongju from 5th June, Daegu from 6th June, and Miyako (Shimojishima) from 27 June. In total, 13 new destinations have already been announced for 2025, with more to come. Lau said: “In addition, we were proud to have our achievements in cargo and sustainability recognised recently with two prestigious awards from Air Transport World. Cathay Cargo earned the title of Cargo Operator of the Year for the second time in three years, and Cathay Pacific was named Eco-Airline of the Year, becoming the first airline in Asia to receive this distinction.” Passenger traffic in February 2025 Cathay Pacific carried 14.3 percent more passengers in February 2025 compared with February 2024 as Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) were up by 17 percent. In the first two months of 2025, the number of passengers carried by Cathay Pacific increased by 25.4 percent compared with the same period for 2024. Lau said: “Following the Lunar New Year holiday, leisure travel demand softened while business travel demand picked up, driven by various exhibitions and trade events held in late February and early March. This resulted in February seeing a robust load factor in our premium cabins. Looking ahead, we anticipate reduced leisure travel demand from our home market up to the end of March, during which we will continue to leverage our global network to boost transit traffic.” At the same time, HK Express carried more than 585,000 passengers in February, marking an increase of 32 percent year on year, while Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs) grew by 38 percent. In the first two months of 2025, the number of passengers carried increased by 39.1 percent compared with the same period for 2024. Lau explained: “HK Express continued its growth trajectory in February, announcing new additions to its network and operating more flights and capacity. March is going to be a quieter month following the leisure travel peak over the Lunar New Year holiday, though we are looking forward to welcoming three interesting new destinations, namely Nha Trang, Ishigaki, and Komatsu in April.” Cargo performance in February 2025 Meanwhile, Cathay Cargo carried 11.8 percent more cargo in February 2025 than in February 2024. Available Freight Tonne Kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 3.5 percent while load factor decreased by 1.4 percentage points year on year. In the first two months of 2025, the total tonnage increased by 12.8 percent compared with the same period for 2024. Lau said: “Demand from our Hong Kong hub and the wider Greater Bay Area market started slowly due to the Lunar New Year holiday but picked up towards the end of February. We observed continued growth in our Cathay Secure solution, driven by increased shipments of electronics from the Chinese Mainland and Southeast Asia. We were also proud to be the official airline sponsor of the Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show, transporting around 70 of the world’s finest sports horses from Liège and London to Hong Kong, showcasing our expertise and care in transporting live animals.” She added that, for March, Cathay Cargo expects market demand to pick up as we ramp up our scheduled freighter frequencies to prepare for the quarter end. According to Lau, the company is keeping a close watch on the volatility of the cargo market, and that they will leverage their built-in flexibility to make necessary adjustments to their network and capacity to capture demand changes.
Silk Road Revival: Loong Air expands Xi’an-Samarkand flights amid Uzbekistan’s tourism boom
Loong Air is set to increase the frequency of its flights between Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province in China, and Samarkand International Airport, Uzbekistan’s gateway to its historic Silk Road city. Starting today, flights will operate three times a week, departing every Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday at 13:35 local time from Samarkand. This development marks a significant step in Uzbekistan’s tourism and aviation strategy, aimed at positioning the country as a premier destination for international travelers. The route expansion reflects the strong demand for air connectivity between Uzbekistan and China, one of the fastest-recovering markets post-pandemic. Accelerating Tourism Growth Samarkand International Airport continues to set benchmarks in passenger growth. In the first ten months of 2024 alone, the airport recorded a staggering 41% increase in passenger traffic, surpassing the total for 2023, itself a record year. Recognized as the second fastest-growing airport in Europe and Central Asia by ACI Europe, the airport exemplifies Uzbekistan's broader ambitions in tourism and aviation development. “Uzbekistan's aviation route network is growing rapidly following the Government’s initiatives to stimulate tourism,” said Ulugbek Shamsikulov, CEO of Air Marakanda. “With 17 airlines operating flights to 18 destinations from Samarkand Airport, we are witnessing an unprecedented demand for direct air services. Samarkand, with its rich cultural heritage, is positioned as a hub for travelers exploring Central Asia.” Strengthening China-Uzbekistan Connectivity The expanded Xi'an-Samarkand route underscores the growing ties between China and Uzbekistan, bolstered by trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges. The first direct flight from China to Uzbekistan was introduced in October 2023 by China Southern Airlines, connecting Urumqi and Samarkand. The new Loong Air service further enhances accessibility, reflecting the pent-up demand for travel between the two nations. “China is an important partner for Uzbekistan in tourism and trade,” Shamsikulov added. “This expansion by Loong Air demonstrates the tremendous growth potential of the Chinese market. It is part of a larger vision to leverage Uzbekistan’s tourism infrastructure and cultural assets to attract international visitors.” Investing in World-Class Infrastructure Samarkand International Airport’s new terminal, which opened in 2022, has been instrumental in supporting the city’s tourism ambitions. The terminal is part of a comprehensive investment in modern facilities designed to enhance the visitor experience. “Our success in 2024 has been driven by airlines launching new routes and adding capacity to existing services,” Shamsikulov said. “We remain committed to developing air connectivity with regional and global markets, unlocking the potential of Samarkand as a tourism, cultural, and business hub.”
Air Astana presents its winter 2024/2025 schedule
Air Astana just introduced its winter schedule, with the season marked by the launch of a large number of new international services to the Middle East, Asia and Central Asia. New international services include the launch of a direct flight between Atyrau and Dubai, operating twice a week, as well as the increase in the number of flights from Almaty to Dubai to eleven times a week and from Astana to Dubai to nine times a week. In addition, Air Astana will start operating flights from Astana to Abu Dhabi twice a week at the end of October, as well as from Almaty to Abu Dhabi twice a week starting in December. Air Astana is also expanding its network of services to Saudi Arabia at the end of October, with flights from Almaty to Medina twice a week in addition to existing twice a week services to Jeddah. A new once a week service from Shyment to Jeddah is already being operated, with a further once a week service from Shymkent to Medina to be added later in the season. New in Asia Turning to Asia, a new service from Astana to Phuket will operate three times a week, complementing the current eleven weekly flights from Almaty to Phuket, as well as daily flights from Almaty to Bangkok. Also being launched during the winter schedule is a service from Almaty to Phu Quoc in Vietnam, with five frequencies a week. Air Astana has also resumed seasonal flights to the Maldives, with services up to five times a week. In the China market, Air Astana will resume flights from Astana to Urumqi twice a week and will continue to operate flights from Almaty to Urumqi four times a week, as well as from Almaty to Beijing five times a week and from Astana to Beijing twice a week. In the Korean market, Air Astana will increase the number of flights between Astana and Seoul to three times a week, together with the existing five weekly flights from Almaty to Seoul. Europe and other markets In Europe, Air Astana will continue to operate flights from Astana to Frankfurt five times a week and non-stop flight from Almaty to London route twice a week. Flights from Amsterdam to Atyrau Western Kazakhstan continue to operate all year round. In other markets, Air Astana will operate flights from Almaty to Delhi nine times a week, from Almaty to Tashkent eleven flights a week, as well as daily flights from Almaty to Bishkek, four times a week to Tbilisi and two flights a week from Almaty to both Baku and Dushanbe.
Hainan Airlines releases flight schedule for winter 2024 / spring 2025
Hainan Airlines announced that it will implement its winter and spring flight plan beginning 27th October, adding new routes and increasing flights to meet the needs of holiday travellers. The airline also announced its plans to introduce a new range of innovative products and services, as well as making travel more convenient for passengers in the coming seasons. For winter 2024 / spring 2025, Hainan Airlines plans to operate up to 500 domestic routes covering 80 cities. It will also add 40 new routes to its domestic network. New destinations Among the routes for addition to the network are flights going to and from Haikou, Changsha, Lanzhou, Urumqi, among other places. The airline will also increase the frequency of popular flights, including Haikou-Changsha / Xi'an / Nanchang, Beijing Capital-Sanya / Shanghai Pudong / Xi'an, Sanya-Nanchang / Jinan / Zhengzhou. In terms of international routes, Hainan Airlines aims to fly over 50 international and regional round-trip passenger routes departing from Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Haikou, Chongqing, Xi'an, Changsha, Taiyuan, Dalian, and Guangzhou to more than 30 countries and regions, further meeting the entry and exit needs of passengers. In addition, the airline will add international routes such as Shenzhen-Madrid, Haikou-Seoul, Beijing-Vladivostok, and increase the frequency of flights on popular international routes such as Haikou-Bangkok / Singapore and Chongqing-Paris. Catering to different passenger needs During the upcoming season, Hainan Airlines’ focus will be on the core public and business markets. That said, the airline plans to create special route products such as "Boutique Express" and "Free Trade Port Express", covering routes in and out of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Haikou, and Sanya. The airline also seeks to create a better and more efficient travel experience for passengers by optimising flight scheduling, upgrading cabin and ground services, and integrating convenient travel rights. In addition, Hainan Airlines will continue to launch reservation products such as "Free Flight" and "Enjoy the Sea Flight", as well as customer care products such as "Exclusive for Students" and "Exclusive Preferential Services for Passengers with Outstanding Contributions" to give back to the support and love of the majority of passengers.
Air Astana flights between Kazakhstan and China set to increase
The number of Air Astana flights between Kazakhstan and China is set to increase following agreements reached at the meeting of the China-Central Asia Aviation Co-operation group held in Xi'an, China between 18th and 20th June 2024. Designated carriers from Kazakhstan received approval to operate up to 52 passenger flights per week during the current summer season, with the figure increasing and up to 62 flights per week starting from the 2025 summer season. In addition to existing destinations in China, Kazakh carriers are now additionally allowed to operate flights to Guangzhou, China's third largest city and largest commercial hub. Designated airlines also received the right to operate an unlimited number of flights to the cities of Sanya, Haikou and Qionghai on Hainan Island using the fifth, sixth and seventh freedom rights. Kazakhstan is among the few countries in the world, along with the United States and a number of European countries, whose carriers have rights to operate flights to China using fifth freedom rights. Kazakh airlines have also received permission to operate cargo flights to China without restrictions on quantity and direction. Air Astana currently operates scheduled daily flights from Almaty to Beijing and from Astana to Beijing three times a week, as well as from Almaty to Urumqi in western China five times a week.
Greater Bay Airlines welcomes the expansion of Individual Visit Scheme to eight cities
Greater Bay Airlines CEO Liza Ng welcomes the Central Government’s further enhancement of the Individual Visit Scheme to cover Taiyuan in Shanxi Province, Hohhot in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Harbin in Heilongjiang Province, Lhasa in Tibet Autonomous Region, Lanzhou in Gansu Province, Xining in Qinghai Province, Yinchuan in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Urumqi in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in response to the proposal of the Hong Kong SAR Government. She is confident that the initiative will further help boost the development of various industries and the overall economy of Hong Kong, leveraging the strong recovery of the tourism industry in the past year.
Air Astana switches to Summer Schedule
Air Astana has switched to a Summer flight schedule, with the resumption of popular scheduled and seasonal services, as well as increases to the frequency of flights to a number of international destinations. The airline will resume direct international flights from Astana to Seoul and domestic flights from Astana to Kostanai. Seasonal flights from Astana and Almaty to Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica will operate three times a week, together with flights at the same frequency from Astana to Georgia’s capital Tbilisi and from Almaty to Heraklion in Crete. The Summer flight schedule also includes increases in the frequency of flights from Almaty to Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent up to 14 times a week; to Kyrgystan’s capital, Bishkek up to eight times a week and Tbilisi up to nine times a week; to Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe up to four times a week; to Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku up to three times a week and to Urumqi in western China up to five times a week. Flights from Almaty to Seoul will now be operated daily. The frequency of flights from Astana to Tashkent has increased to three times a week. Tickets are available for booking at the official website of the airline, Air Astana sales offices, Information and Reservation Centre, as well as at accredited travel agencies.
Samarkand International Airport celebrates second anniversary of new terminal
Samarkand International Airport (SKD) has celebrated the second anniversary opening of its new terminal by reporting the continued impressive growth of passenger numbers, having already doubled in both of its first two years. SKD also confirmed that airlines will soon launch new services to Antalya in Turkey, Baku in Azerbaijan, Tel Aviv in Israel, Turkistan in Kazakhstan, and Urumqi in north-west China. Carriers are also increasing frequencies to various cities, including to Istanbul, St. Petersburg and Moscow. The stunning new facility is the first airport in Uzbekistan to be built in a public-private partnership. SKD says through-put has already risen by 49% to 195,001 passengers in the opening two months of 2024, driven by surging demand for international travel to cities in neighbouring countries and by a huge increase in overseas visitors arriving at Uzbekistan’s second largest and historic city. Passenger volumes will also grow thanks to the development of a new home carrier, Air Samarkand, which will launch scheduled services to the Turkish capital of Istanbul tomorrow (Thursday, 21st March). Air Samarkand says it will soon confirm further cities for its scheduled route network, as well as a burgeoning list of charter flights to popular package holiday markets. Anton Khojayan, CEO of the airport’s management company Air Marakanda, said: "We are seeing huge demand for domestic and overseas travel from our local area and from airlines bringing overseas visitors to explore our incredible ancient city of Samarkand. As we continue to develop our airport infrastructure, we will also expand our airport route network through existing airlines’ increasing capacity and as we attract new carriers to Samarkand.” Samarkand’s stunning new airport terminal is shaped to resemble an open book and attracted some 495,000 passengers in its first year of opening, before passenger volumes doubled to surpass the magic million mark in 2023. More than 1.6 million passengers have now used the airport during its first two years, with the number of destinations growing to a confirmed one domestic and 20 international locations for the 2024 summer season (31 March – 26 October). Khojayan added: “Uzbekistan, and Samarkand in particular, are both still largely untapped in terms of their tourism and commercial potential. A huge investment has been made in first-class infrastructure and visitor facilities to sit alongside the incredible Uzbek natural and cultural treasures, which together provide almost limitless potential for future growth.” Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in Asia, its origins dating back to the seventh or eighth millennium BC. Situated on the famed Silk Road, it is in the heart of the country’s ancient and medieval tourist attractions that exist in the city and the surrounding Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, and Zaamin National Park regions. Some 13 million people who live within and surrounding Samarkand were previously forced to endure time-wasting flight connections in Tashkent and other regional airports, to reach major international destinations. Together with new infrastructure, Uzbekistan is fast developing on the international tourism map, as well as offering new opportunities for overseas investment. For example, the new 280-hectare Silk Road Samarkand project is the first multi-functional international tourism centre in Asia, embracing eight world-class hotels, international conference venues, parks, sports areas and cultural sites.
No companies found matching your search.
Return To HomeNo Event found matching your search.
Return To Home