Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo have announced the addition of Swiss WorldCargo to their joint venture, which offers their customers more direct connections, more flexibility and more time savings.

Swiss WorldCargo's entry builds on the Joint Business Agreement signed in 2016 between Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo, which allows them to collaborate on distribution, pricing, contracts and the handling of shipments between Hong Kong and Europe.

Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo already work closely together on international routes through their hubs in Hong Kong and Germany, while cargo handling in Hong Kong is coordinated under one roof at the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport.

Under the expanded joint business agreement, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa Cargo and Swiss WorldCargo will work closely together on network planning and in the areas of sales, IT and ground handling. Initially, the airlines will cooperate on routes from Hong Kong to Zurich and Frankfurt. Traffic to and from Hong Kong and the rest of Europe will be added later this year.

Cargo customers will have access to the entire shared network via the booking systems of all three partners.

Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, said: "We are very pleased about the trilateral cooperation that has now begun, which brings three well-known cargo companies to the same table and makes an even more attractive offer to our customers. Cargo customers will appreciate the opportunities for faster and easier transportation. The expanded joint venture will bring numerous benefits to our customers, as our networks, our hubs and our fleet complement each other perfectly."

Tom Owen, Director Cargo at Cathay Pacific, said, "We are delighted to welcome Swiss WorldCargo to our joint business agreement. Cathay Pacific is always looking for more ways to offer our cargo customers greater choice and more options for their 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 bring Hong Kong, the world's busiest air cargo hub, even closer to Europe and strengthen one of the world's great trade routes."

Lorenzo Stoll, Head of Cargo at Swiss International Air Lines, said, "We are very pleased with this joint business agreement between Lufthansa Cargo and Cathay Pacific, thanks to which we can not only strengthen our already close cooperation, but also expand our network offering for our customers while remaining true to our high quality and flexibility."