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Cathay Cargo resumed freight service from Ho Chi Minh City after four years, marking its first freighter flight on April 4
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The freighter flight to the Vietnamese city was suspended in December 2019 due to the pandemic
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The weekly flight, CX3148, will operate from Ho Chi Minh City every Thursday, with the freighter first originating from Hong Kong to Hanoi, then routing to Ho Chi Minh City before returning to Hong Kong
Cathay Cargo resumed freight service from Ho Chi Minh City after a hiatus of four years, marking its first freighter flight on April 4.
The resumption comes after the service was suspended in December 2019 due to the pandemic.
Operating as flight CX3148, the weekly service will depart from Ho Chi Minh City every Thursday, originating from Hong Kong and routing through Hanoi before returning to its origin.
This additional service will complement Cathay Cargo’s existing six weekly freighter flights from Hanoi to Hong Kong.
In 2023, Cathay Cargo transported nearly 2,000 tons of cargo from Vietnam monthly, with approximately 600 tons carried on Cathay Pacific’s twice-daily passenger flights from Ho Chi Minh City.
The cargoes were mostly garments, footwear, fruits, and live and frozen seafood destined for key markets such as Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, North East Asia, Australia, and North America.
Cathay Pacific has a longstanding presence in Vietnam, with passenger services between Vietnam and Hong Kong dating back to 1949.
Cathay Cargo initiated full freighter services from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in March 2008.
The reinstatement of the freighter service not only increases cargo capacity but also provides shippers in Ho Chi Minh City access to Cathay Cargo’s main-deck solutions, including “Cathay Expert” for odd-sized shipments and “Cargo Aircraft Only” designated freight, such as certain dangerous goods.
Ashish Kapur, regional head of cargo, Southeast Asia, expressed optimism about the return of the freighter service and said, “With factory activities resuming and air cargo demand picking up, it is timely for us to resume our freighter service from the economic heart of Vietnam.”
Nicolas Masse, country manager for Vietnam and Cambodia, underscored the dedication of Cathay Cargo’s team in Ho Chi Minh City. “We have been working hard to ensure we are operationally ready on the ground and able to respond quickly to our customers’ needs, whatever they may be,” he said.
