Cathay Pacific is the latest high-profile airline to partner with low-cost carrier Easyjet on its connections service Worldwide.
The service allows passengers to use the Easyjet website to book connections from its European routes onto long-haul flights with member airlines.
Connections are available from 11 European airports, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris CDG, Orly, Gatwick, Milan Malpensa, Berlin Tegel and Venice Marco Polo.
Connecting passengers are subject to a two and a half hour minimum connection time, and flights are not held. If a passenger misses their connecting flight they are transferred to the next available service.
The Cathay Pacific partnership will initially only apply to flights between Gatwick and Hong Kong.
Easyjet launched Worldwide in 2017 with airlines Norwegian and Westjet. Since then it has signed up Corsair, La Compagnie, Loganair, Thomas Cook, Singapore Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary Scoot, Air Transat, Virgin Atlantic and Emirates.
Easyjet said Chicago is currently the most popular long-haul destination connecting through Rome, while Rome-Reykjavik is the most popular short-haul connection.
Easyjet CEO Johan Lundgren said:
“As the first global airline connections service by a European low fares airline Worldwide is gaining real momentum, December was a record month for connections and January has started equally strongly seeing the most growth in connections through Tegel and London Gatwick.
“We really pleased to welcome Cathay Pacific and are confident they will be a popular addition for customers who are looking for an easy and seamless way to connect between Europe, the Far East and beyond. We will continue sign up other airlines to Worldwide by Easyjet during 2019 and the airline also plans to expand to other key Easyjet airports in Europe.”
James Ginns, Cathay Pacific General Manager Europe, said:
‘Partnering with Worldwide is an exciting development for Cathay Pacific. Using Easyjet’s wide European network their customers can book and connect with confidence to our daily Gatwick flight enabling straightforward access to the Hong Kong hub.”