Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways have returned to Chicago.
The oneworld member will initially serve Hong Kong-Chicago three times a week with its Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.
Flights will depart from Hong Kong every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 1230, arriving at Chicago’s O’Hare airport same day at 1430.
From Chicago, the Cathay Pacific flights to Hong Kong leave at 1605, arriving the following evening at 2045.
Pre-pandemic, Cathay Pacific used to operate to Chicago daily with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, including first class.
Swapping to the A350-1000 means not only that first class will no longer be available on the route but an overall reduction in premium capacity.
The Cathay 777-300ERs have six seats in first, 53 in business, 34 in premium economy and 201 in economy. The A350-1000s that replace them on Hong Kong-Chicago have 46 in business, 32 in premium economy and 256 seats in economy class.
Cathay oneworld partner American Airlines has not flagged any plans to return to Hong Kong.
By July, Cathay was close to 60 per cent of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels, and the airline said it was on track to achieve its target of 70 per cent covering 80 destinations by the end of this year.