Cathay Pacific willing to increase Haneda-Hong Kong flights+

TOKYO, Nov. 2 Kyodo - Cathay Pacific Airways Chief Executive Tony Tyler said Tuesday that the airline is positive about increasing flights between Hong Kong and Haneda airport, which has just resumed full-fledged international operations.

''We started with two flights a day, that's a good start. And of course, as the
market builds, we will be happy to see more flights between Haneda and Hong
Kong,'' Tyler said during an interview with Kyodo News.
But he added it will not be so easy for the airline to add more flights on the
route, saying, ''I'm sure every airline will want more flights. I think there
are already slot constraints, so one has to be realistic about the prospects
for increasing frequencies.''
The air carrier has started offering two Haneda-Hong Kong round-trip flights,
and operates five round-trip flights linking Narita airport, which is located
roughly 60 kilometers east of central Tokyo, and Hong Kong.
Haneda, which started full-fledged international operations Sunday for the
first time in 32 years, is seen to enhance convenience for people in the Tokyo
metropolitan area because of its proximity to central Tokyo, located about 15
kilometers south of central Tokyo.
Noting such a factor, Tyler said that the company expects Haneda will be ''very
successful,'' adding, ''We think particularly business travelers will greatly
appreciate the service offered from Haneda.''
But Tyler stressed Narita will continue to be a ''very important airport for
Cathay Pacific'' and the air carrier does not intend to decrease more flights
at the airport after reducing one in late October.
''With our five flights a day in Narita, we don't want to reduce frequency to
Narita,'' he said.
Meanwhile, Tyler said the air carrier, a member of the oneworld aviation
alliance, is willing to continue enhancing a cooperative relationship with its
alliance partner Japan Airlines Corp. through such measures as code-sharing
flights.
''We see this a very positive way of cooperating with our oneworld partner, and
we look forward to building further cooperation as we go forward,'' he said.
But regarding the struggling airline's plan to boost its capital by 50 billion
yen from private institutions in addition to the already set 350 billion yen
investment by the government-backed Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp. of
Japan, the company will not join the scheme, he said.
''Our philosophy is not to invest in other airlines outside the mainland
China,'' he said.
==Kyodo