Cathay Pacific
has announced its return to Rome, Italy, launching direct flights on June 12, becoming the carrier’s second destination in Italy and 12th in Europe.
Seasonal service to Rome
According to the Hong Kong International Airport
(HKG)-based airline’s announcement, it will launch a thrice-weekly service from Hong Kong to Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport
(FCO) on June 12.
The services will complement Cathay Pacific’s flights to Milan Malpensa Airport
(MXP), which currently operates five times per week and will grow daily during the summer months.
Photo: Kent Raney | Shutterstock
“Visitors to Rome can look forward to exploring one of Europe’s most impressive historical and cultural centres with the city boasting countless monuments, landmarks, museums and churches.”
Cathay Pacific pointed out that its return to Rome will be especially timely since, in 2025, the city will celebrate the Catholic Church’s Jubilee, a celebration that takes place every 25 years. Rome and Vatican City will host events throughout the year to mark the occasion.
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The Jubilee is expected to bring 35 million tourists to Rome in 2025.
40-year history
Lavinia Lau, the chief customer and commercial officer of Cathay Pacific, remarked that the carrier’s history in Italy stretches back to 1986 when it first launched direct services between Hong Kong and Rome.
“We know our customers have been eagerly anticipating the return of this route, and we are delighted to be returning to Italy’s marvellous capital this summer.”
Lau added that whether passengers travel for business, leisure, or the Jubilee celebrations, the airline looks forward to welcoming them onboard its flights and allowing them to experience its world-class service.
Cathay Pacific will serve the route with the Airbus A350-900
, which has fully flat beds in business class, spacious seats in premium economy, and offers comfort in economy class.
Photo: EQ Roy I Shutterstock
While flights are still pending the necessary governmental approvals, the preliminary timetable showed that Cathay Pacific flight CX293 will depart Hong Kong at 00:45 local time (UTC +8) and arrive in the Italian capital at 7:50 local time (UTC +2).
The return itinerary, flight CX292, will depart Rome-Fiumicino at 11:45 and arrive at Hong Kong International at 5:20 on the next day. Flights will be operated on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Cirium’s Diio Mi airline planning system’s records showed that Cathay Pacific last served Rome in February 2020, just before the pandemic had stopped international travel. Before 2020, the airline operated flights between the two cities daily during the summer months, reduced to four weekly flights during the rest of the year. June typically had six weekly flights on the route.
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100 destination goal
Cathay Pacific highlighted that its focus was on adding more flights and destinations for its customers as it continues its post-pandemic recovery. The airline and its low-cost subsidiary, HK Express, aim to help restore Hong Kong’s status as a global aviation hub.
“The Group has now announced six cities that will be joining its global passenger network in 2025, with more to come. In addition to Rome, Cathay Pacific is launching direct flights to Hyderabad in March, Dallas in April, Munich in June and Brussels in August this year, while the Group’s low-cost carrier HK Express is launching flights to Sendai in January.”
Photo: heychli | Shutterstock
The company concluded that Cathay Pacific and HK Express should collectively serve 100 destinations by the end of the year. Its 2019 report indicated that it had operated flights to 119 points, which included flights by the now-defunct subsidiary Cathay Dragon
.
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