Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific Airways said it would continue to launch more flights and increase its frequencies of flights connecting Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, due to the increase in passenger demand for the upcoming New Year and the Spring Festival.

Cathay Pacific has been continuously adding flights between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland monthly since China optimized its COVID-19 response measures. Currently, the airline operates 180 round-trip flights connecting Hong Kong and 16 Chinese mainland cities. It aims to bring the total number of weekly round-trip flights to 300 by the end of 2024.

The company has hired 100 mainland flight attendants this year for the first time, in an aim to diversify its cabin crew members with the ability to speak mandarin, with more than 2,000 candidates filing applications. The newly recruited employees will start their training sessions in Hong Kong this month and start working early next year.

Ronald Lam, chief executive of the Cathay Pacific Group, said the carrier would continue to strengthen its connection with the Chinese mainland. By 2025, its mainland flight attendants are expected to reach between 1,500 and 2,000. The carrier also plans to hire more pilots and other staff members from the mainland.

"We have seen strong passenger demand and the capacity is inadequate to meet the demand. We will add more flights to satisfy a growing passenger demand in the busy holiday season," Lam said in Beijing.

The group, as the sole Hong Kong-based carrier, attended the first China Air Transport Association Aviation Conference, which is ongoing in Beijing. The airline will also participate in the sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai for the first time next week, as it would like to utilize the platform to promote its brand and services.

Cathay Pacific also visited Civil Aviation University of China in Tianjin this week, hoping to reach more cooperation with the college in recruiting more mainland flight attendants.

zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn