Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
Cathay Pacific Airways launches its first long-haul flight from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv, the commercial capital and largest city of Israel, on 26 March 2017 using its Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The official inauguration address ceremony hosted for the media before flight departure will be held in Hong Kong on 25 March 2017.
On 26 March 2017, Cathay Pacific flight CX675 departs from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv at 1 am, arrives in Tel Aviv at 7.40 am local time before leaving Tel Aviv for Hong Kong at 1.50 pm and touching down in Hong Kong at 5.10 am on 27 March 2017 under flight CX674.
Cathay Pacific operates on the Hong Kong-Tel Aviv route sectors on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and arrives in Hong Kong on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. It is the second Far East airline to operate scheduled flights to Tel Aviv from Asia after Hainan Airlines' direct flights from Beijing to Tel Aviv.
Although Cathay Pacific faces direct competition from EL AL Israel Airlines on the same route sectors, the new route will attract more bookings from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia travel markets as the airline has more frequent onward flights from Tel Aviv via Hong Kong to more Southeast Asian cities than EL AL. EL AL operates direct weekly scheduled services to Suvarnabhumi, its only gateway to Southeast Asia from Tel Aviv.
Besides holders of many passports including Hong Kong and Singapore are visa-exempt for entering Tel Aviv. Passports are no longer stamped in Tel Aviv.
Travelers to Tel Aviv should take note that the Sabbath for humanity (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) is observed in Israel. Trains and buses do not run on Sabbath in Israel although taxis and shared minivans operate within Tel Aviv and between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Sabbath for humanity convenience.
In Tel Aviv, convenience stores, hospitals, some bars and most non-Kosher (non Israeli) restaurants remain open on Sabbath for the same reason. Tel Aviv international airport is open on Sabbath to serve non-EL AL flights. EL AL flights do not operate on Sabbath from the airport.
The Israeli government has established comprehensive measures both on the ground and in the air to ensure Tel Aviv's airport Ben Gurion is one of the safest and best protected in the world. Passengers are advised to allow at least three hours to pass through airport security before departure.
Cathay Pacific says there has already been a healthy pick-up in advance bookings with its GSA in Tel Aviv led by Israel country manager Jonathan Bailey providing strong support on the sales front.
Cathay Pacific is selling connecting fares to Tel Aviv from Singapore at less than 2000 Singapore Dollars on its web-site.
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
Cathay Pacific Airways launches its first long-haul flight from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv, the commercial capital and largest city of Israel, on 26 March 2017 using its Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The official inauguration address ceremony hosted for the media before flight departure will be held in Hong Kong on 25 March 2017.
On 26 March 2017, Cathay Pacific flight CX675 departs from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv at 1 am, arrives in Tel Aviv at 7.40 am local time before leaving Tel Aviv for Hong Kong at 1.50 pm and touching down in Hong Kong at 5.10 am on 27 March 2017 under flight CX674.
Cathay Pacific operates on the Hong Kong-Tel Aviv route sectors on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and arrives in Hong Kong on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. It is the second Far East airline to operate scheduled flights to Tel Aviv from Asia after Hainan Airlines' direct flights from Beijing to Tel Aviv.
Although Cathay Pacific faces direct competition from EL AL Israel Airlines on the same route sectors, the new route will attract more bookings from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia travel markets as the airline has more frequent onward flights from Tel Aviv via Hong Kong to more Southeast Asian cities than EL AL. EL AL operates direct weekly scheduled services to Suvarnabhumi, its only gateway to Southeast Asia from Tel Aviv.
Besides holders of many passports including Hong Kong and Singapore are visa-exempt for entering Tel Aviv. Passports are no longer stamped in Tel Aviv.
Travelers to Tel Aviv should take note that the Sabbath for humanity (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) is observed in Israel. Trains and buses do not run on Sabbath in Israel although taxis and shared minivans operate within Tel Aviv and between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Sabbath for humanity convenience.
In Tel Aviv, convenience stores, hospitals, some bars and most non-Kosher (non Israeli) restaurants remain open on Sabbath for the same reason. Tel Aviv international airport is open on Sabbath to serve non-EL AL flights. EL AL flights do not operate on Sabbath from the airport.
The Israeli government has established comprehensive measures both on the ground and in the air to ensure Tel Aviv's airport Ben Gurion is one of the safest and best protected in the world. Passengers are advised to allow at least three hours to pass through airport security before departure.
Cathay Pacific says there has already been a healthy pick-up in advance bookings with its GSA in Tel Aviv led by Israel country manager Jonathan Bailey providing strong support on the sales front.
Cathay Pacific is selling connecting fares to Tel Aviv from Singapore at less than 2000 Singapore Dollars on its web-site.
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