Cathay Pacific counts on South-east Asia’s burgeoning middle class to drive next growth phase

[SINGAPORE] Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific is counting on South-east Asia’s fast-expanding middle class to power its next phase of growth, even as geopolitical tensions continue to disrupt global aviation flows.

Despite near-term headwinds from the Gulf conflict, the carrier said growth will come from its established key markets of China and North Asia – but South-east Asia will also be increasingly important.

Frosti Lau, Cathay Pacific’s regional general manager for South-east Asia and Oceania, said: “With the upcoming middle class in South-east Asia, more people from the region will want to explore places they have never been to before… and it will not just be outbound traffic, but inbound traffic as well.”