Cathay Pacific return to Hobart for the 2021/22 summer season

Hong Kong’s flag carrier has resumed the service for the summer, with new aircraft

After the success of the flights over the 2020/2021 summer season, Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific have resumed the service via Melbourne for the 2021/2022 summer. with at least 35 flights up to January 31st to be operated in conjunction with the Tasmanian Government and Hobart based Link Logistics.

This season’s flights will be operated by modern Airbus A350-900 passenger aircraft, carrying a maximum of 38 tonnes of Tasmanian produce, primarily fruit and seafood, in the aircraft’s cargo hold. This is slightly less than the 40 tonne cargo capacity of last season’s larger Boeing 777-300ERs, although, with the resumption of more flights between Australia and Eastern Asia, the need for direct flights from Hobart is likely somewhat reduced.

At the moment the service is just once weekly on Mondays, though services will be added on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays as the cherry harvest peaks over the Christmas and Lunar New Year period.

As well as being the first flight of the season, flight CX8104 on the 29th of November was also the first ever visit of an Airbus A350 to Hobart, eight years since the type’s first flight in 2013. The flight’s timings are quite favorable for spotters, arriving from Sydney at 5pm and departing to Melbourne an hour and a half later at 6:30, though these times are quite flexible, so it’s best to keep an eye on Flightradar24 to be sure. For more tips about spotting at Hobart you can check out my guide here.