Cathay welcomes the Hong Kong SAR Government’s initiatives to enhance Hong Kong’s international aviation hub status, including further expanding connectivity through new routes and increased frequencies, strengthening collaboration and intermodal transportation across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and promoting the development of the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) value chain in the region, as outlined by Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR John Lee in Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan and 2026 Policy Address.

Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam said: “With Hong Kong International Airport now operating under the Three-Runway System, there is immense potential to elevate Hong Kong’s status as a leading international aviation hub. Shared success is at the heart of what we do. As the city’s home hub carrier, we have already committed around HK$150 billion in investments into our fleet, cabin and lounge products, and digital innovation.

“We continue to connect Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and the world. We target to have 150 new aircraft joining our fleet and to build a network serving 150 destinations worldwide in the next decade, if market conditions are favourable. Our commitment to strengthening Hong Kong as an international aviation hub remains steadfast, leveraging our unique strengths and operational excellence.”

Cathay is aligned with the Government’s focus on strengthening Hong Kong’s connectivity with more destinations, including emerging markets in Belt and Road countries and regions. Cathay Pacific is launching non-stop flights to Almaty in Kazakhstan on 9 January 2027, marking its first-ever destination in Central Asia. Cathay Pacific is also expanding its Latin America coverage with more codeshare flights this year.

Cathay supports measures to enhance collaboration and intermodal connectivity across the Greater Bay Area for both travel and cargo transport, and looks forward to the preliminary proposal for the southern extension of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link, which would have the potential to further increase passenger traffic between Hong Kong International Airport and the wider Greater Bay Area.

Cathay is also encouraged by the Government’s continued focus on developing an internationally competitive sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) value chain in Hong Kong and the wider GBA. SAF is widely considered the most important lever for decarbonising aviation and the development of a production base in Dongguan and a blending facility in Hong Kong will be important to increase the availability and affordability of SAF in the region. A well-designed mandatory SAF mechanism will strengthen the city’s position as a leading aviation hub while supporting the growth of SAF production and uptake by providing long-term demand certainty.

Lam said: “We are proud of the role we have played in our home city’s growth and development over the past eight decades, and look forward to contributing to Hong Kong’s long-term success as a world-class international aviation hub.”