Cathay Pacific sees Thailand rebound after rocky first half

Hong Kong’s flagship carrier confirmed that its Thailand routes are bouncing back in the second half of the year, following earlier setbacks tied to safety concerns and political instability. Despite a soft performance earlier in 2025, the airline is now seeing strong interest from transit passengers, particularly on long-haul routes.

Lavinia Lau, Chief Customer and Commercial Officer at Cathay Pacific, said the airline remains focused on improving its core Southeast Asian routes rather than opening new ones.

“Thailand hasn’t been our strongest performer this year due to several disruptions in the first half.”

Lau cited negative headlines such as the kidnapping of a Chinese actor, an earthquake in Bangkok, and political uncertainty that dampened sentiment in key markets like Hong Kong and mainland China.

However, Lau noted that momentum has picked up in recent months. Long-haul demand, especially from destinations such as Dallas in the US, has helped support Thailand-bound travel. She added that interest may have been boosted by Thailand’s starring role in season 3 of HBO’s White Lotus.

Cathay Pacific has returned flight frequency on major Southeast Asian routes to pre-pandemic levels, including up to eight daily flights between Hong Kong and Bangkok. Its budget carrier, HK Express, continues to drive growth, recently launching routes to Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu.

While Cathay faces rising competition from Chinese carriers expanding under visa-free agreements, Lau believes the airline remains competitive for transit traffic through Hong Kong.

For now, the airline has no plans to add new Thai destinations but will maintain its current schedule, which includes Cathay flights to Bangkok and Phuket, and HK Express services to Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.

In a push to enhance customer experience, Cathay has introduced its new Aria Suite business class on 10 of its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with full rollout expected by year-end. These planes are mostly used for long-haul routes but are occasionally deployed on the Bangkok–Hong Kong service.

The airline also plans to retrofit its A330 regional fleet with lie-flat beds and is awaiting delivery of 35 new Boeing 777-9 jets, with the first expected in 2027, according to Bangkok Post.

Meanwhile, the airline’s cargo arm remains strong in Southeast Asia, with high demand for exports including electronics, fruit and pharmaceuticals.