HK aviation benefits from its return to China

Investment makes growth

In Cathay Pacific's point of view, investment is crucial for the growth of aviation industry. Following that principle, the airline has enlarged its fleet size to 170 airplanes. According to Slosar, Cathay Pacific now has another 90 aircrafts on order for delivery for the next 7 year.

As for the cargo, a new cargo terminal is under construction at the Hong Kong International Airport by Cathay Pacific which will open in the beginning of next year. It will be one of the largest cargo terminals in the world with a capacity of about 2.6 million cargoes each year. "It'll be world class in terms of efficiency and energy consumption," Slosar said with a smile.

In addition, the airline has equipped its fleet with 10 new Boeing 747 freighters and 8 Boeing 777 freighters are under way.

"It'll give us a large and very fuel-efficient and low-cost freighter networks to help us continue to build cargo business," said he.

Slosar believed the largest trade flow in the world for cargo is to and from China. As a part of China, Hong Kong is a good place to provide services in helping that trade flow to exist and to move efficiently.

"The infrastructure in Hong Kong, in terms the customs, the trucking routs, the terminals, everything makes the trade and logistics happen efficiently."

Looking ahead, Slosar is quite confident and optimistic. "Hong Kong is always to be flexible, and to be able to adapt itself to whatever it required to be successful in the world economy. I think Hong Kong will continue to do that in the future. I'm very optimistic about the mainland economy and the mainland society, and I'm very optimistic about Hong Kong's opportunity as part of that," he said.