Dragonair today announced that it will launch a new service to Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong and the biggest city in the fast-growing Pearl River Delta region, on September 14.

The twice-daily service, to be operated by A320 and A321 aircraft, will provide passengers travelling between Hong Kong and Guangzhou with more choice and convenience. At the same time the new flights will offer improved connectivity via Hong Kong to the rest of the world, further enhancing Hong Kong's status as one of the world's premier international aviation hubs.

"We are excited to announce this new operation to Guangzhou which extends our network's coverage into the Pearl River Delta. This is one of the most affluent and most economically dynamic regions in Mainland China and is home to a population of 45 million - six times greater than that of Hong Kong," says Dragonair Chief Executive Officer Kenny Tang.

"The new Guangzhou service is important because air-to-air connections are still by far the most convenient way for international travellers to move in and out of the Pearl River Delta region. Opening Guangzhou as a destination reinforces Dragonair's long-term commitment to explore potential destinations and strengthen our presence in our core Mainland market," Mr Tang added.

The flight schedule for the new service is as follows:

The early morning and evening departures from Hong Kong are designed to offer travellers good connections into and out of the Hong Kong hub from international destinations. Dragonair's sister airline, Cathay Pacific, will codeshare on the service, subject to government approval, providing even more convenience for international travellers.

Dragonair, an affiliate member of oneworld, is a Hong Kong-based airline operating a fleet of 30 passenger aircraft and serving 29 regional destinations, including 17 cities in Mainland China. Dragonair has been recognised for its product and service quality, and was voted "Best Regional Airline: SE Asia" in the annual World Airline Survey run by Skytrax in 2007/08. Dragonair is part of the Cathay Pacific Group, providing seamless connectivity for passengers to more than 100 cities around the globe.

Dragonair web site address: www.dragonair.com