Sunday, August 28, 2011

Cathay Pacific gives away 1,800 air tickets as 'Connecting Your World' contest draws to a close

28 August 2011 -- Cathay Pacific Airways announced today that 900 people from the 18 districts of Hong Kong have won 1,800 round-trip air tickets in the airline's "Connecting Your World" Contest, held as part of the celebrations to mark 100 years of aviation in the city.

"Connecting Your World" invited local residents to share their thoughts on how air transport connects Hong Kong with the world, from the creation of jobs and business and learning opportunities, to building bridges between people and places, and enriching the culture and lifestyles of local people.

The contest drew to a close today with a prize-presentation ceremony held at Windsor House in Causeway Bay. Cathay Pacific Chief Executive John Slosar hosted the event with Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council, The Honourable Leung Chun-Ying, and Director General of Civil Aviation Norman Lo as officiating guests.

Over the past 65 years, Cathay Pacific has played an integral role in the growth of the local aviation industry, and as the city's home carrier the airline is committed to securing Hong Kong's position as an international aviation hub and prime tourist and business destination. The airline has worked tirelessly to promote aviation to the Hong Kong public and through "Connecting Your World" invited people to share their thoughts on how air transport relates to their daily lives.

More than 6,000 submissions were received over a two-month period, ranging from literary works and photos to graphic illustrations and video clips. All the submissions were carefully screened and the champion and top 50 entries from each of the 18 districts were selected by a judging panel consisting of a creative professional and representatives from the district council office and Cathay Pacific.

The champion in each district will receive two Economy Class round-trip tickets to any destination served by Cathay Pacific and Dragonair, while the other 49 winners in each district will receive a pair of Economy Class round-trip tickets to any regional destination served by the two airlines. The contest results can be found on the contest website, www.cathaypacific.com/connectingyourworld, where the 18 winning entries can also be viewed.

Speaking at the ceremony, Cathay Pacific Chief Executive John Slosar remarked on the success of the Hong Kong International Airport which has won numerous "World's Best Airport" awards, and that Hong Kong is now acknowledged as one of the leading international hubs for both passenger traffic and freight.

He said: "This is a remarkable achievement and we at Cathay Pacific are extremely proud to have been a part of Hong Kong's success story. We are delighted to have this opportunity to share our success with the community by giving away 1,800 air tickets to residents."

Mr. Leung Chun-Ying said that air travel, more than anything else, has made the world bigger and smaller at the same time. "The world has become bigger because we can now easily visit, work or live in faraway countries, while only decades ago we only read about them. Now that we are all connected, the world has become smaller at the same time. Without leaving Hong Kong, we can now mingle with visitors and enjoy products and produce from countries that we were unfamiliar with," he said.

Director General of Civil Aviation Mr Norman Lo spoke about the strong connectivity of the Hong Kong International Airport in the celebration event. He remarked that the airport, as the gateway to the Mainland and the rest of the world, enjoys the additional competitive advantage that 50% of the world's population is within five hours' flying time.

As the public consultation period for the Hong Kong International Airport Master Plan 2030 draws to an end, Mr Lo also encouraged the public to join hands to continue strengthening Hong Kong's position as an international and regional aviation hub.

The Connecting Your World Contest was organised with the support of the Home Affairs Department as part of its "Get into Discovery" campaign. Throughout 2011, Cathay Pacific has run a number of initiatives to tie in with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department's celebrations to mark the centenary of powered flight in Hong Kong, including placing a specially designed commemorative logo on a Boeing 747-400 aircraft, taking part in an aircraft pull event that set a new Guinness World Record, and an Aviation Knowledge Contest which attracted more than 780 local secondary students to compete for much-coveted prizes including a trip to the Boeing factory in Seattle.

For more information, please visit http://www.cathaypacific.com

(press release)

http://www.asahi.com

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