Cathay heads for Abu Dhabi, Chicago

Cathay Pacific is adding two new international routes in 2011 - a four-times-weekly service to Abu Dhabi, commencing June 2, and a daily flight to Chicago from September 1.

Cathay said that given the demand for travel to other US cities via Chicago, it intends to launch code-share services from its new gateway with oneworld alliance partner American Airlines.

The Abu Dhabi service, operated by an Airbus A330-300 aircraft with departures to and from Hong Kong on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Cathay Pacific currently offers a double-daily operation to and from Dubai.

Cathay is also adding services to two key destinations in North America - New York and Toronto.

It was announced at the weekend that Cathay Pacific CEO, Tony Tyler, will leave the airline on March 31 next year after being recommended to succeed Giovanni Bisignani as director-general and chief executive of the International Air Transport Association (IATA)