Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo announce today the entry of Swiss WorldCargo into the airlines’ joint business agreement, providing cargo customers with more direct connections, more flexibility and more time saving.

The entry of Swiss WorldCargo builds on the joint business agreement signed in 2016 between Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo, which enables the two airlines to cooperate in terms of sales, pricing, contracts, and the handling of shipments between Hong Kong and Europe.

Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo already have a close collaboration on international lanes via their hubs in Hong Kong and Germany, while the handling of cargo in Hong Kong is coordinated under one roof at the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal of Hong Kong International Airport.

Under the expanded joint business agreement, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa Cargo, and Swiss WorldCargo will work closely together on network planning, as well as on sales, IT and ground handling. Initially, the airlines will cooperate on traffic from Hong Kong to Zurich and Frankfurt, with traffic to and from Hong Kong and the rest of Europe planned to be included later this year.

Cargo customers will be able to access the entire joint network via the booking systems of all three partners.

Cathay Pacific Director Cargo Tom Owen said: “We are delighted to welcome Swiss WorldCargo into our joint business agreement. Cathay Pacific is always looking for more ways to give our cargo customers greater choice and more options for shipments whenever they fly their goods with us. The addition of Swiss WorldCargo’s flights to the already large combined network of Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa will further bring Hong Kong, the world’s busiest air cargo hub, closer to Europe and strengthen one of the world’s great trade lanes.”

Lufthansa Cargo CEO Dorothea von Boxberg said: “We are very pleased about the trilateral cooperation just starting, bringing three well-known cargo carriers to the table and making our customers an even more attractive offer. Cargo customers will appreciate the opportunities for quicker and easier shipping. The expanded joint venture will generate numerous benefits for our customers because our networks, our hubs and our fleet complement each other effectively.”

Swiss International Air Lines Head of Cargo Lorenzo Stoll said: “We are very excited to be entering this joint business agreement between Lufthansa Cargo and Cathay Pacific, thanks to which we can not only strengthen our already close collaboration, but also expand our network offering to our customers, while staying true to our high quality and flexibility.”

The joint activities will be carried out in full compliance with all applicable laws, including the competition rules of the European Union and Hong Kong.