Cathay Pacific will reintroduce non-stop flights between Dubai and Hong Kong from October 2. Photo: Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific will reintroduce non-stop flights between Dubai and Hong Kong from October 2. Photo: Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific will reintroduce non-stop flights between Dubai and Hong Kong from October 2. Photo: Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific will reintroduce non-stop flights between Dubai and Hong Kong from October 2. Photo: Cathay Pacific

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Airlines

Cathay Pacific to resume flights between Dubai and Hong Kong

The airline will operate three weekly non-stop services between the two destinations

Selina Denman
Selina Denman

July 14, 2022

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Cathay Pacific will reintroduce non-stop flights between Dubai and Hong Kong from October 2.

The airline will operate three flights per week — on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays — providing UAE travellers with direct access to Hong Kong, as well as connections to onward destinations such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.

All flights will depart from Terminal 1 at Dubai International Airport and will be operated on a Boeing 777-300 aircraft with a three-class cabin configuration that includes the airline’s forward-facing lie-flat seats in business.

Cathay Pacific will operate three flights per week between Dubai and Hong Kong from October 2. EPA
Cathay Pacific will operate three flights per week between Dubai and Hong Kong from October 2. EPA

The airline has introduced a Fly Ready tool, which allows guests to upload their Covid-19 test results and other required health documents between 12 and 48 hours before their flight to Hong Kong, to be verified ahead of time. Meanwhile, the Fly (Worry) Free initiative offers travellers greater flexibility with their bookings, with the option to make unlimited ticket changes, including the alteration of travel dates and destination, until December 31.

“Reactivating our link from the GCC to Hong Kong is extremely important to us as the market remains a priority,” says Vishnu Rajendran, Cathay Pacific's area manager for the Middle East.

“We’re confident our offerings, like the ease of connections, warm Asian hospitality, diverse in-flight entertainment options and customer-centric initiatives such as our health document verification tool, Fly Ready, make us one of the world’s greatest service brands.

“Aside from the stream of those visiting friends and relatives and business travellers who we welcome on board from around the region, travellers from the GCC are also searching for cultural experiences abroad. Hong Kong and the various destinations that are easily accessible from our home hub, such as Japan and South Korea, offer these in abundance.”

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1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.

The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.

It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.

The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.

Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”

Updated: July 14, 2022, 1:20 PM
AirlinesHong Kong