HONG Kong's Chief Executive John Lee has urged flagship airline Cathay Pacific to rebuild its flight capacity quickly and effectively.
Mr Lee expressed concerns over a recent string of flight cancellations by the airline which cancelled over 40 flights in the days leading up to the new year, citing illness among its air crew. However, the airline's pilots' union pointed to a shortage of senior pilots as the cause, reports Hong Kong Free Press.
Mr Lee said the authorities were 'very concerned' by the situation and urged the airline to minimize the inconvenience and loss caused to passengers. The Chief Executive said that the aviation industry had faced challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it was paramount that flight capacity recovered quickly so that Hong Kong could maintain its status as a 'strong aviation hub' in the region.
'I want our aviation industry to rebuild its capacity fast and completely so that we will be competitive as a whole,' Mr Lee said.
He added that Cathay Pacific should, in the long run, review its manpower and overall flight capacity. The Transport and Logistic Bureau would be in contact with the airline's management to discuss the matter, he said.
Earlier, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung on Monday said he had expressed 'great concern' to Cathay's senior management over flight cuts and had urged for appropriate handling in the aftermath.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association, Cathay Pacific's pilots' union, said authorities were 'right to ask questions of Cathay management over flight cancellations,' adding that the union had been warning of potential problems linked to a shortfall in staff for months.
The union pointed to decisions made by the airline in 2020 in response to the pandemic, when they said Cathay made 'deep and permanent reductions to the pay of frontline staff, fired pilots and flight attendants and closed their mainland oriented regional carrier, Cathay Dragon.'
The union has called for an inquiry into decisions made by the management and a change of leadership.
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Mr Lee expressed concerns over a recent string of flight cancellations by the airline which cancelled over 40 flights in the days leading up to the new year, citing illness among its air crew. However, the airline's pilots' union pointed to a shortage of senior pilots as the cause, reports Hong Kong Free Press.
Mr Lee said the authorities were 'very concerned' by the situation and urged the airline to minimize the inconvenience and loss caused to passengers. The Chief Executive said that the aviation industry had faced challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it was paramount that flight capacity recovered quickly so that Hong Kong could maintain its status as a 'strong aviation hub' in the region.
'I want our aviation industry to rebuild its capacity fast and completely so that we will be competitive as a whole,' Mr Lee said.
He added that Cathay Pacific should, in the long run, review its manpower and overall flight capacity. The Transport and Logistic Bureau would be in contact with the airline's management to discuss the matter, he said.
Earlier, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung on Monday said he had expressed 'great concern' to Cathay's senior management over flight cuts and had urged for appropriate handling in the aftermath.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association, Cathay Pacific's pilots' union, said authorities were 'right to ask questions of Cathay management over flight cancellations,' adding that the union had been warning of potential problems linked to a shortfall in staff for months.
The union pointed to decisions made by the airline in 2020 in response to the pandemic, when they said Cathay made 'deep and permanent reductions to the pay of frontline staff, fired pilots and flight attendants and closed their mainland oriented regional carrier, Cathay Dragon.'
The union has called for an inquiry into decisions made by the management and a change of leadership.
SeaNews Turkey
