Society

Dragonair seeks more cooperation with mainland

By Chen Qide (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-10-27 17:43

Dragonair holds a gala dinner to celebrate its 25th anniversary in Shanghai, Oct 26, 2010. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Dragonair will continue to explore opportunities to further develop travel links with the mainland through its hub in Hong Kong.

Dragonair Chairman Tony Tyler made the remarks at a gala dinner held in Shanghai on Tuesday to celebrate the airline's 25th anniversary.

"We have great confidence in the mainland market," he said.

"We have worked hard to develop our presence in mainland China, and I can say our commitment to the China market is stronger than ever." the chairman said.

With the addition of the daily Hongqiao service, Dragonair now offers 17 flights each day between Shanghai and Hong Kong, providing more options for travelers and helping to strengthen the business and tourism ties that link the two great cities.

Tyler said that throughout the summer, the airline put extra capacity in the Shanghai route to meet the demand driven by the World Expo. It also added more flights to Xiamen, Wuhan and Changsha earlier this year.

Dragonair's first flight departed from Hong Kong for Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, in July 1985, opening a new chapter in Hong Kong's aviation history.

After two and a half decades of hard work and commitment, the airline now owns a fleet of 31 passenger aircraft to serve 30 destinations. It has been named "the world's best regional airline."

"Dragonair has come a long way over the past 25 years, and we will continue to serve the China market with the quality product and superior service for which we are renowned," said Tyler.