After teasing it would launch a new route to North America, Cathay Pacific has announced it will begin services to "The Emerald City."

Starting March 31, 2019, Cathay Pacific will launch a four-times-weekly service between Hong Kong and Seattle - connecting Hong Kong to the major tech hub of the Seattle/Tacoma area. It has been announced the airline will be using its Airbus A350-900 aircraft with 38 business class seats, 28 premium economy and 214 economy seats.

“We are very pleased to be introducing Seattle and to provide more convenience and choice to our customers." said Cathay Pacific CEO Rupert Hogg. "There are strong business, trade and cultural ties between Hong Kong and the city and we believe there will be considerable demand for both business and leisure travel on this new route."

Hogg added: “We have developed a significant presence in the United States and the launch of Seattle not only reaffirms our commitment to the important North American market but also to strengthening Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s largest international aviation hub.”

Seattle will become the 10th destination in North America, where Cathay Pacific has seen a growth in demand in travel from Asia. Seattle will follow the launch of Cathay's services to Washington DC in September of 2018, making the Seattle/Tacoma area the 8th destination for the airline in the United States. The new route to the Pacific Northwest adds to its current US destinations in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York-JFK, and Newark.

Cathay will also fill the void made after Delta announced it will end its services from Seattle to Hong Kong on October 4. It will also provide a boost to Alaska Airlines, as the Seattle-based carrier is among Cathay's airline partners and will provide for connections in the US for travellers from Asia.



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