Deal boosts Southeast Asia and Canada connections
Cathay Pacific and Air Canada have announced plans to join forces on multiple routes connecting destinations across Southeast Asia with Canada.
The international airlines have finalised a “strategic cooperation agreement” aimed at streamlining trans-Pacific travel to and from countries including the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.
The move will enable passengers to book single-ticket travel with a combination of the two airlines, providing one-stop connections to Canada from eight Southeast Asian cities. The deal also includes the ability to earn and redeem frequent flyer points, and offers onward connections in Canada.
Calin Rovinescu, president and CEO of Air Canada, said: “This agreement with Cathay Pacific will offer Air Canada customers more travel options and reciprocal mileage accrual and redemption benefits when travelling to many important destinations in Southeast Asia.
‘Quality service’
“It is a strategic cooperation of mutual benefit and underscores our commitment to offer our customers the very highest quality and service connecting Canada and the world. We look forward to introducing Air Canada codeshare service on Cathay Pacific’s flights and welcoming Cathay Pacific’s customers on our flights beginning in the New Year.”
Under the agreement, Air Canada will codeshare on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon flights connecting Hong Kong with Manila, Cebu, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai. This will enable passengers to connect to trans-Pacific flights to Vancouver or Toronto with either Cathay or Air Canada, via Hong Kong.
In Canada, Cathay will codeshare on Air Canada’s flights from Vancouver and Toronto to multiple major Canadian cities, including Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec and Halifax.
Ivan Chu, Cathay Pacific’s chief executive, said: “Our new codeshare agreement with Air Canada significantly broadens the Canadian network and connectivity for our customers, increasing our reach and expanding choices.
“Canada is a key destination for Cathay Pacific – the launch of our non-stop service to Vancouver in 1983 marked our very first route to North America – and we look forward to working together with Air Canada and welcoming guests from the airline onto our flights soon.”
