Cathay Pacific celebrates Official Launch of Xiamen Services

Cathay Pacific Airways today celebrated the official launch of services from Hong Kong to Xiamen at a gala dinner in the Fujian Province City hosted by Chief Executive Philip Chen with guest of honour Xiamen Vice Mayor Xu Mo, Civil Aviation Eastern Region Administration Department Director General Xia Xinhua and about 100 invited guests.

The three-times-weekly service from Hong Kong to Xiamen commenced February 28, 2005 to extend the airline's network in the Chinese Mainland and further strengthen Hong Kong as a global hub and gateway to the Mainland. Cathay Pacific also serves Beijing daily and operates 12 weekly freighter services to Shanghai. Seven more weekly Beijing services will be added soon.

Those who attended the gala dinner in Xiamen also included Director General of Xiamen Municipal Trade Development Bureau Xiong Yanliang, Director General of the Xaimen Foreign Investment Bureau Sun Xiyou, Director General of the Xiamen Entry-Exit Inspection and quarantine Bureau Wang Zhongfu, and representatives from Xiamen Municipal Communications Committee and CAAC's Transportation Department, etc.

Xiamen Vice Mayor Xu Mo said at the gala dinner, "Cathay pacific is a world-renowned airline and the launch of the new service between Xiamen and Hong kong will be a boon to the development of Xiamen's tourism, business and trade. Cathay Pacific's international network of more than 90 destinations also helps strengthen Xiamen's connection with the world."

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Philip Chen said: "Xiamen represents a landmark destination for Cathay Pacific. The flight is also the shortest among all services currently operated by the airline.