OREANDA-NEWS.  July 28, 2014. Cathay Pacific Airways today announced that it will boost its freighter services to and from Canada with a new twice-weekly scheduled service to Calgary commencing on 17 October 2014, subject to government approval.

The latest addition to Cathay Pacific’s cargo network brings the total number of freighter destinations it serves in North America to 14. The new service will further strengthen the airline’s presence in Canada and offer customers more choice and greater flexibility when transporting commodities to and from Asia.

The Calgary service will be operated by Boeing 747-8 Freighters which will fly machinery and perishables direct from Calgary to Hong Kong to connect with Cathay Pacific’s extensive Asian network. Both the Tuesday and Friday services will operate on a Hong Kong-Anchorage-New York (JFK)-Calgary-Hong Kong routing, with an additional Columbus tag for the Friday flight.

Cathay Pacific Director Cargo James Woodrow said: “We are excited about strengthening our already extensive freighter network in North America and believe this new service to Calgary will further facilitate the efficient flow of goods between Canada and Asia.

“We will be operating our largest and most technologically advanced commercial freighter, the Boeing 747-8F, into Calgary and connecting freight through our new cargo terminal in Hong Kong onto our wider Asian network. We will now be able to provide one of the fastest and most convenient ways to move time-sensitive freight from the Central Canada region, cutting down on time spent in transit, resulting in reduced handling costs for our customers.”

Calgary Airport Authority Senior Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer Stephan Poirier said: “We are pleased that Cathay Pacific Cargo has selected Calgary to be its newest Canadian partner. We’ve invested extensively in Calgary’s cargo infrastructure over the last 15 years, strategically positioning the airport for airlines such as Cathay Pacific to enter into Calgary’s market, completing our vision of linking Alberta’s businesses to Asia. As one of only two Canadian airports with non-stop freighter services to Europe and Asia, Calgary continues to be a place where people, places and business connect.”

Cathay Pacific currently operates freighter services to 44 destinations around the world. In June the airline boosted its Columbus service from two flights a week to thrice-weekly. The airline has 13 Boeing 747-8F aircraft in its fleet, with one more on order for delivery in 2016.