Cathay Pacific is now running all Adelaide-Hong Kong flights as non-stop services, giving travellers a much shorter trip compared to the current triangular 'tag' routing, which sees all Adelaide flights stop over at Melbourne en route to Hong Kong while one of the three daily Hong Kong to Melbourne services detours via Adelaide.
The direct flights out of Adelaide, which began on the weekend, will shave some three hours off the journey as the aircraft will no longer need to stop over at Melbourne to pick up more passengers before heading north.
Likewise, transforming the daily CX105 from Hong Kong to Melbourne into a direct run by eliminating the previous via-Adelaide routing will trim that trip by two hours.
CX: "better for business travellers"
"Previously we were routing one of three inbound Melbourne flights via Adelaide which, frankly, could be frustrating for many business travellers" admits Dominic Perret, Cathay Pacific's General Manager for the Southwest Pacific region.
"We know our Melbourne business travellers like the choice of three daily flights but were avoiding the one flight that meant a short stop in Adelaide" Perret told Australian Business Traveller.
“After all, it's all about offering a choice of frequencies, a point-to-point service with the shortest possible connection time, and now we will be delivering this 100 per cent of the time.
Adelaide loses daily flights
However, as part of the schedule shuffle Cathay Pacific has reduced its Adelaide-Hong Kong schedule from a daily frequency to four flights a week.
Flight CX173 will operate from Hong Kong to Adelaide on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Between March 30 and April 4 this will depart Hong Kong at 7pm to reach Adelaide at 6.10am the next day, shifting back to a 5.10am arrival as of April 5.
The new non-stop flight CX174 will leave Adelaide every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7.30am from March 30 to April 4, then 6.30am from April 5 onwards, touching down in Hong Kong at 1.45pm.
Adelaide's new flights will offer more streamlined connections to Europe – "particularly the UK, which is one of our top destinations for passengers from South Australia" Perrett observes – as well as China, "which is increasingly important for South Australian exporters."
CX174's early afternoon arrival into Hong Kong will provide connections onto nine Chinese cities within four hours "and onto eight more destinations within the day" Perrett says.
“It's even better for travellers to the UK, where the connection is now a mere 50 minutes in Hong Kong to CX253 which departs at 2.35pm."
"The efficiency of Hong Kong International Airport means luggage is seamlessly moved to the onward flights within this time, so passengers can get to the final destination as quickly as possible."
“From London Heathrow, Adelaide passengers taking CX254 at 1705 – one of our five daily flights from Heathrow to Hong Kong – have just a one hour 55 minute transit time.”
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Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 468
This is great news for South Australia but should have been done a lot sooner though.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
16 May 2011
Total posts 113
I don't know why the news is more focused on ADL, IMHO I think it would be better with both ADL & MEL were reported of equally. Will be welcomed news to both pax from ADL & MEL. Why was ADL heighlighted more - I don't understand as I see MEL pax benefitting more or the same.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Nov 2011
Total posts 186
I live in Adelaide, so I am fairly biased. But I believe that the significance lies in Adelaide getting direct flights to Hong Kong, Melbourne allready had that, and with multiple carriers (QF, CX). For Adelaide this means a step up in connections, a shorter flight time etc. etc. All of which Melbourne allready had, to a degree.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Nov 2011
Total posts 186
I live in Adelaide, so I am fairly biased. But I believe that the significance lies in Adelaide getting direct flights to Hong Kong, Melbourne allready had that, and with multiple carriers (QF, CX). For Adelaide this means a step up in connections, a shorter flight time etc. etc. All of which Melbourne allready had, to a degree.
Cathay Pacific - Asia Miles
25 Apr 2013
Total posts 542
Personally I think CX 174 leaves ADL way too early. Oh well, maybe they'll start another flight like they did with Perth if ADL - HKG proves to be successful, like noon departure from HKG - night departure in ADL, late night departure in ADL - early morning arrival in HKG. To business travellers this new flight is good news but to Australian leisure travellers (and Hong Kong travellers, like me) CX 174 won't be much of an improvement.
Cathay Pacific - Asia Miles
25 Apr 2013
Total posts 542
Well, I am totally aware that this is Australian Business Traveller, so the new flight will be great for most of you.
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 10
Personally, the 6: 30am departure is a bit too early for an international flight. With that said, it does connect with flights from HK to China and also UK. I think if they maintained the current schedule; and make CX 105 three times weekly Hong Kong-Adelaide-Melbourne-Hong Kong (old schedule, a later departure; an evening arrival into Hong Kong, connecting with flights to Europe, Japan and Korea), it would make CX a lot more attractive option for travellers.
I am also saddened by the changes to HKG - BNE and HKG-CNS-BNE flights. The daily midday departure flight from Hong Kong arrives into Brisbane a bit too late for many travellers; whilst the evening HKG-CNS-BNE flight can be a bit of a doozy, particularly when you have to wake up 4am in the morning (2am HK time).
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 10
Personally, the 6: 30am departure is a bit too early for an international flight. With that said, it does connect with flights from HK to China and also UK. I think if they maintained the current schedule; and make CX 105 three times weekly Hong Kong-Adelaide-Melbourne-Hong Kong (old schedule, a later departure; an evening arrival into Hong Kong, connecting with flights to Europe, Japan and Korea), it would make CX a lot more attractive option for travellers.
I am also saddened by the changes to HKG - BNE and HKG-CNS-BNE flights. The daily midday departure flight from Hong Kong arrives into Brisbane a bit too late for many travellers; whilst the evening HKG-CNS-BNE flight can be a bit of a doozy, particularly when you have to wake up 4am in the morning (2am HK time).
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 10
Personally, the 6: 30am departure is a bit too early for an international flight. With that said, it does connect with flights from HK to China and also UK. I think if they maintained the current schedule; and make CX 105 three times weekly Hong Kong-Adelaide-Melbourne-Hong Kong (old schedule, a later departure; an evening arrival into Hong Kong, connecting with flights to Europe, Japan and Korea), it would make CX a lot more attractive option for travellers.
I am also saddened by the changes to HKG - BNE and HKG-CNS-BNE flights. The daily midday departure flight from Hong Kong arrives into Brisbane a bit too late for many travellers; whilst the evening HKG-CNS-BNE flight can be a bit of a doozy, particularly when you have to wake up 4am in the morning (2am HK time).
22 May 2015
Total posts 27
I wish that Adelaide will have daily flights and can change the timings of the flight. My home in China has a Dragonair Flight that leaves at 1:00pm, which mean I have to bypass Melbourne, Sydney or the Regal hotel in HK before flying back. Same thing on the way back.
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