Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific’s cargo division and German carrier Lufthansa Cargo have expanded their joint business agreement (JBA) to enable the start of eastbound joint shipments from Europe to Hong Kong.
Under the expanded JBA framework, Hong Kong is now directly connected to Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, London (Gatwick and Heathrow airports), Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome and Zurich, said Cathay Pacific in a statement.
Customers have been able to book general and express cargo on all Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa flights from Hong Kong to Europe since 2017. The start of Hong Kong-bound shipments means there are now 280 direct flights, covering 15 airports, in the carriers’ joint network per week.
As well as collaborating on network planning, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo have worked closely together on IT and service enhancements since the signing of their cooperation agreement in May 2016.
Furthermore, customers have benefited from having one single location for export drop-off and import delivery since the Hong Kong and Frankfurt joint handling facilities were introduced in late 2016 and early 2017, respectively.
In addition to the capacity provided by the airlines’ dedicated fleet of cargo aircraft, the belly space of passenger aircraft and the road feeder services of both partners can also be booked by customers.
Cathay Pacific director of commercial and cargo Ronald Lam said: “Our cooperation with Lufthansa has reached an exciting new phase, which is of great benefit to our customers in Europe and undoubtedly strengthens one of the world’s great trade lanes.”
Lufthansa Cargo chairman and CEO Peter Gerber added: “We are pleased that our joint customers will now be able to take full advantage of our partnership. This is a superb basis for a long-term successful cooperation. Together, we can make air cargo even more appealing.”
The joint activities are carried out in full compliance with all applicable laws, including the competition rules of the European Union and Hong Kong.
