In mid-January, Hong Kong introduced a ban on transit passengers, which was initially only supposed to be valid for a month. Since then, this has been extended twice, though there’s finally an end in sight.
As reported by Danny Lee of Bloomberg, the Hong Kong transit passenger ban will be ending as of April 1, 2022, which is the same date that Hong Kong is relaxing many coronavirus related restrictions.
In this post:
Hong Kong’s ban on transit passengers
Up until recently, Hong Kong has taken one of the strictest zero-tolerance approaches toward coronavirus. While many places started that way in early 2020, not many places have maintained that system, since coronavirus isn’t going anywhere. Hong Kong is now dealing with a massive omicron outbreak, leading to the government reversing course a bit.
As you’d expect, all of these restrictions up until now have greatly impacted Hong Kong’s aviation landscape. To give you a sense of the impact, in November 2021 Cathay Pacific carried just 70,047 passengers, representing a 97.3% decrease compared to November 2019. Things have gotten even worse in 2022.
Hong Kong has banned passengers from transiting through Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) if they’re coming from “Group A” destinations, which are designated high-risk countries. This includes a majority of long haul destinations in Cathay Pacific’s network. This was initially only supposed to be valid for one month, but has since been extended twice.
Under these rules, passengers on flights arriving from mainland China and Taiwan can continue to connect to onwards flights globally, while passengers starting their journeys from other destination aren’t able to transit through Hong Kong during that period, with limited exceptions.
Fortunately this policy will be changing as of April 1, 2022. As of that date, it will be possible to once again transit Hong Kong International Airport, assuming you’re traveling on a single ticket. Also as of April 1, Hong Kong will eliminate the flight ban that currently exists for flights from select countries with high infection rates (interestingly all of those countries have significantly lower infection rates than Hong Kong currently has).
Can Cathay Pacific recover?
A while back I posed the question of whether Cathay Pacific will ever be able to recover. The more fundamental question is whether Hong Kong will ever recover as Asia’s global business hub (rather than a business hub for China).
The airline industry has been hit hard by coronavirus, but seriously, the impact of all of this on Cathay Pacific is on a whole different level. It’s good to see Hong Kong finally lift its ban on transit passengers and also lift its ban on flights from certain destinations, but really this just puts Cathay Pacific into the same spot it was in a few months back (which was terrible).
While Hong Kong is easing some travel restrictions and lowering the quarantine for arriving travelers to one week, that’s still not going to meaningfully increase demand for travel to & from Hong Kong.
If anything, Cathay Pacific will most benefit from being able to carry transit passengers to other destinations in Asia that have opened up in recent weeks, as that list keeps growing. And then of course there’s cargo, which is significant for Hong Kong.
Bottom line
In January, Hong Kong banned transit passengers from most countries for a period of a month, intended to curb the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant. Prior to today, this had been extended twice, despite the fact that those measures obviously haven’t worked.
The good news is that this ban will be lifted as of April 1, which is the same date that Hong Kong will eliminate its flight ban from select countries, and also when Hong Kong will reduce its quarantine for arriving travelers. This comes amid a huge coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong, with the highest mortality rate we’ve seen anywhere.
All of this is good news for Cathay Pacific, as this puts the airline in a better spot than it is now. However, the airline still faces countless challenges, as the company isn’t much better off than it was a few months ago. I’m curious to see if & when Hong Kong opens up to visitors without quarantine, as the airline can’t significantly recover until that happens.
What do you make of Hong Kong ending its transit passenger ban?
In November i will need to fly to HK to connect with my flight to SIN-AKL am i able to transit?
any word on whether the opening to transit passengers includes a overnight? or would that have to happen on the HKG airport floor?
The China Government has a very long term view and is determined to try and destroy Cathay Pacific so that China Eastern can take over all the CX routes once it is dead and buried.
Agree with most... PRC is punishing Hong Kong (25 years left as SAR) and are telling them, behave or else.... Plus they want Cathay to disappear to be replaced with crappy mainland airlines...
People are so ignorant. The only reason why western companies are pulling out of Hong Kong is because the cost of land is making it difficult to cover the rent. But I can assure you that the financial sector is still as robust and healthy as ever. This has nothing to do with politics but more with short minded individuals. And let's be honest, the talent here in Hong Kong is not very attractive. There...
People are so ignorant. The only reason why western companies are pulling out of Hong Kong is because the cost of land is making it difficult to cover the rent. But I can assure you that the financial sector is still as robust and healthy as ever. This has nothing to do with politics but more with short minded individuals. And let's be honest, the talent here in Hong Kong is not very attractive. There is a lack of entrepreneurs and creative talents. Just a bunch of sheeps following orders with not willing to take risk or responsibilities. The top talents today are in China and to be honest, they're twice as cheap, heck they probably even speak better english. So if you were a company, what would you do? You would maximize profit and find the best talent at the lowest cost.
HK will always be a special place for international investors, travelers, bankers, and etc. It will still hold true to it's "international" name so I wouldn't count HK out just yet.
To those who say HKG is dead, think again. It still has the largest stock exchange in Asia and is still the financial door to China. It is not a simple task to purchase shares on the Shanghai or Shenzhen exchanges. Chinese companies now more than ever are listing in HKG to be able to trade with global equity firms and individual shareholders. Capital raising is a huge objective to listing in HKG.
Global equity...
To those who say HKG is dead, think again. It still has the largest stock exchange in Asia and is still the financial door to China. It is not a simple task to purchase shares on the Shanghai or Shenzhen exchanges. Chinese companies now more than ever are listing in HKG to be able to trade with global equity firms and individual shareholders. Capital raising is a huge objective to listing in HKG.
Global equity firms have not pulled out of HKG for this very reason. Singapore is not even close in volume, Jakarta is a joke, Bangkok is a back water, Seoul is a basket case and Tokyo is over regulated. I would not count out HKG yet.
As for CX, It will make a comeback for sure.
Even if it does rebound, I am not certain I would want to fly them anymore. Given China's tightening grip over HK, and the draconian quarantine measures if one were to test positive, it feels better to take Singapore, JAL or others when transiting through Asia.
As someone who likes to vacation in Asia -- even enduring the ever-changing rules to get into Thailand the past few months -- this was welcome news to me.
Hopefully it spurs Taiwan to drop their transit ban (going on a year now), so EVA becomes a viable option for travel again.
Questions:
- do you think there will be restrictions imposed (such as a pre-travel PCR test) to transit HKG?
...
As someone who likes to vacation in Asia -- even enduring the ever-changing rules to get into Thailand the past few months -- this was welcome news to me.
Hopefully it spurs Taiwan to drop their transit ban (going on a year now), so EVA becomes a viable option for travel again.
Questions:
- do you think there will be restrictions imposed (such as a pre-travel PCR test) to transit HKG?
- when do you think Cathay's schedule will start to open up for award travel during the fall/winter months?
- Cathay's once renowned level of service had dropped prior to COVID. Is there any chance it recovers?
- do you think this may lead to Taiwan permitting transit passengers in the coming months?
I am holding a Cathay ticket that transits through Hong Kong in early April ( from the USA) - what do you think the chances are they will permit transit?
Much better today!
i think pretty high chance that it will go through. Cases have been dropping
People, including children are dying from the virus, but you are complaining the inconvenience it brought to your travel. This is absurd.
What does your comment have to do with travel?
Did you know that talking about dying children and travel inconveniences are not mutually exclusive?
ddt sounds like one who never once covid to go away.... the sky is falling , the sky is falling.... more continual hyperbole and hysteria, its 2022, time to move on and realize the covid is endemic at this point....
My company has pretty much written off Hong Kong. There isn't much differentiation between Hong Kong and China, so we've moved our Hong Kong office in Singapore. Singapore is close enough to be able to do work there if needed, but its no longer the business hub that it used to be. We see the writing on the wall of that continuing, so Singapore is a great business-friendly country to locate to.
and by "my company" I really mean my employer....
It is so sad to read about this... CX is/was one of the best airlines out there
Singapore must be so happy by this decision though, all the additional business given to them from a lack of an equal partner in the Asia region and businesses leaving Hong Kong and instead setting up in Singapore.
Very bad they must open Hong Kong. Omnicron you doesn't go dead from it.You cannot close every border.
Respectfully, it's time to let CX die. Both CX and Swire were built on exploitation, colonialism and racism. China is correcting a historical wrong. HK is a Chinese city. Its flag carrier will be a Chinese airline. If you don't like HK, leave. And try not to let the door hit you on your way out.
What do you expect from the control freaks in Beijing?!
Nice knowing you HK. Everything that was feared in 1997 has come true in 2021.
We were in Hong Kong right around the time that Margaret Thatcher and Deng Xiaoping signed the ''Sino-British Accord on the Future of Hong Kong'' (Sept. 1984). That was always Beijing's intention: (1) to get Hong Kong back from British control (renaming it the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) and (2). relegate the former British Crown Colony to a 2nd/3rd/4th tier provincial backwater.
Beijing has accomplished that and now the next step is relegating...
We were in Hong Kong right around the time that Margaret Thatcher and Deng Xiaoping signed the ''Sino-British Accord on the Future of Hong Kong'' (Sept. 1984). That was always Beijing's intention: (1) to get Hong Kong back from British control (renaming it the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) and (2). relegate the former British Crown Colony to a 2nd/3rd/4th tier provincial backwater.
Beijing has accomplished that and now the next step is relegating Cathay Pacific to a has been (or totally CPC controlled) tenth rate airline. I think it's just a matter of time before CX becomes totally unrecognizable and disappears from the face of the earth.
How many airlines like CX does North Korea have? ‘Nuff said.
My heart sank when I read this. I had all ANA tickets (First and Biz Classes) redeemed last year for the summer trip - starting from LA via Tokyo to HK. We planned to stay in HK for a week then to travel to Taiwan on CX business.
Ouch...I am stranded. I don't know what to do. Should I be determine to cancel all tickets and hotels?
Oh...My Room and My Suite on ANA : (
The plane tickets will most likely cancel themselves if the trip is impossible. I've already had 2 HK itineraries canceled by airlines for this reason. However, hotel bookings won't be canceled automatically in my experience. So it would be wise to do so before any applicable refund (or first night charge) cut-off dates.
The West’s Cold War with China, absent the Soviet threat, is designed to boost the fortunes of American arms merchants. Perhaps if the West engages positively with the PRC some of the (understandable) paranoia in China might subside and they may be more accommodating, opening up in every way to the world. That may help CP.
Exactly. I still don’t understand how can MIC survive without on going war hence they need to create another cold war so that the American elite can get richer…
What a shame. Glad to see a different system challenging the “American experiment” and to show that there can be a way where a country can be successful powerful and loved by the citizens without yelling “freedom” but actually giving them actual freedom such as economic ones and freedom from fear.
Well, democracy is on its last gasp.
I can’t work out if this is a bot’s random collection of words or a poor attempt at propaganda by a communist nut-job…
Clearly I can tell you don’t have the ability to understand the said comment
I’m afraid HKG has gone to the Peoples Republic and CX will never recover - I’m just grateful that their fleet is safe in our desert in Australia so they can’t take the aircraft - well without a fight
China doesn't give a crap about hong kong's economic viability. Relegating it to a second rate city is just fine in their view. Shift the business over to Shenzhen is basically their mantra. That being said China's zero covid strategy is because their vaccines don't work sufficiently. As a result they feel if they let covid run wild their health system will crumble, many will die and then people may be looking at the government...
China doesn't give a crap about hong kong's economic viability. Relegating it to a second rate city is just fine in their view. Shift the business over to Shenzhen is basically their mantra. That being said China's zero covid strategy is because their vaccines don't work sufficiently. As a result they feel if they let covid run wild their health system will crumble, many will die and then people may be looking at the government as ineffective. Instead china is trying to wait it out and using covid to control its people more by limiting outside influences and upping the propaganda. China thinks it can wait covid out but eventually it will catch up with them
yeah, the world is watching. And, sadly, not much the world can do about it. I loved the Hong Kong of times past, also CPX was my family's fave carrier for getting around Asia and US visits
How stupid.Don't they know the world is watching?Isn't a (even fake)wealthy HK do more glory to their face?
yeah, the world is watching. And, sadly, not much the world can do about it. I loved the Hong Kong of times past, also CPX was my family's fave carrier for getting around Asia and US visits
Cathay should more to Taiwan!
I think the sad thing is that as I plan to travel to Europe from the pacific - I am avoiding Cathay flights as I have no confidence that they will be around in June. Here is hoping I am wrong.
A neighbor who was a long-haul captain for Cathay, told me 3 years ago the Chinese were trying to put Cathay out of business.
He was right.
Beijing: "Excellent, everything is going according to plan."
I just checked, and in March Cathay will operate just 52 passenger flights ( 104 round trips ) !! Less than 2 daily. Terrible They can’t sustain a business model like that
Could Cathay not relocate its airline, for example become a UK based airline and not HK.
How would that make sense ? Then they may as well merge with BA
They are determined to destroy Cathay and remove HKG as a gateway. What’s the point of the 3rd runway? Last year HKG handled just 1.3 million passengers. CX posted a list of flights over the next 2 months. Just 3 to London in March versus 5 daily pre covid. I didn’t add them up, although it seems like less than 100 or 3 a day !!
The death of CX and Hong Kong itself (both of which are certainly happening), is a feature, not a bug. Exactly the desired outcome from the fascist goons in Beijing.
This is what happens when a genocidal power takes control of your country. Communist regimes such as the CCP always choose winners and losers. The winners are their little buddies who suck up to the party. The losers are those that either don't, or didn't until too late. Cathay is in that later group and, like the rest of Hong Kong, they'll have to pay for their knowledge of what freedom looks like.
Meanwhile,...
This is what happens when a genocidal power takes control of your country. Communist regimes such as the CCP always choose winners and losers. The winners are their little buddies who suck up to the party. The losers are those that either don't, or didn't until too late. Cathay is in that later group and, like the rest of Hong Kong, they'll have to pay for their knowledge of what freedom looks like.
Meanwhile, the world press fawns at the first winter olympic games partially played at a nuclear power plant (China has no real mountains?). Meanwhile, in Xinjaing, enslaved Uyghurs are working 14 hours per day for Nike, making slave wages sewing shows so that LeBron James can make money shooting his stupid mouth off. What a world that tolerates any of it.
How are minorities doing in the States? So capitalism isn't about winning and losing? That isn't a nuclear power plant, it's a former steel site trying to be rejuvenated. How many hours a day do your country's breadline workers suffer?
You're so blinkered, it's astonishing. But, hey, that's America, eh? (Which country had by far the largest prison population forced to labour and make products? You guessed it, genius.)
The minorities in the USA are doing much better than the minorities in China, period! That's why millions of people around the world want to come to the USA.
How are the farmers in China doing these days? The Communists proclaimed they are for the poor, especially the farmers. Today, farmers in China are the poorest. And btw, you'd never seen these farmers on TV anywhere because China would never allow that picture to...
The minorities in the USA are doing much better than the minorities in China, period! That's why millions of people around the world want to come to the USA.
How are the farmers in China doing these days? The Communists proclaimed they are for the poor, especially the farmers. Today, farmers in China are the poorest. And btw, you'd never seen these farmers on TV anywhere because China would never allow that picture to be broadcast anywhere in the world since they don't fit their propaganda. "You're so blinkered, it's astonishing." Indeed!
Why is China doing this to HK and CX? These extreme measures are clearly not justifiable under health and safety reasons.
Interesting article about Cathay's woes in the Guardian today: https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/17/deep-trouble-cathay-pacific-descends-further-as-punitive-pandemic-worsens
I agree, Cathay Pacific business is being throttled .. unnecessarily starved of customers and one of the world's best airports must be really suffering as well.? Along with all the supporting businesses ..
I'm glad others seem through this strategy of the Chinese govt'.
Hope I'm wrong , but I doubt it?
I'm unsure if we can transfer our FF miles to another OneWorld airline?
Xi Jin Ping is on fantasyland coming up with the zero tolerance policy. Hope he wakes up one day but he needs to save face in order to change. Bad news for the Chinese everywhere.
He needs an effective vaccine before he can try and save face and change. The Chinese one is a bodge.
Sad bye bye CX and Hong Kong. EVA and Taiwan next its inevitable.
Don't forget Hong Kong Gov is one of the shareholders of CX. They won't give a damn. As much as it breaks my heart to say this, the Cathay we know and love is gone, it is now a merely a shell of its former self.
Maybe a way for the CCP to tighten it's grip on HKG & allow China Eastern & Air China to gain access to CX's routes.
Love CX and HKG as an airport experience. Hmm one can hardly refer to any US airport as an “experience” LOL. Question for @Ben: Have you considered putting a post up for COVID passenger transit protocol at major international airport hubs?
We are about to fly MIA-SCL-EZE on LATAM Business (Antarctica bucket list trip!), and it was virtually impossible to find details on COVID transit protocol online (tried LATAM website, SCL website, Chilean government...
Love CX and HKG as an airport experience. Hmm one can hardly refer to any US airport as an “experience” LOL. Question for @Ben: Have you considered putting a post up for COVID passenger transit protocol at major international airport hubs?
We are about to fly MIA-SCL-EZE on LATAM Business (Antarctica bucket list trip!), and it was virtually impossible to find details on COVID transit protocol online (tried LATAM website, SCL website, Chilean government website, US consular website, and general G search all to no avail). Obviously we have prepared for and will comply with Argentinian entry protocol, but what (if any) additional COVID protocol does Chile require of international transit passengers? Eventually called LATAM and after a long hold, and about an hour with a friendly Colombian phone agent who had to research the question, I got my answer (thankfully!). I think a post for COVID passenger transit protocol at major international airport hubs will be useful for your readers.
Burned my last Asia Miles on JL, and sad to say I don't anticipate flying CX or visiting HK ever again. HK is now under the thumb of the CCP. Any HKers that value their freedom just need to leave before you get disappeared. If you don't, you are just propping up the CCP.
First it was intercepting passengers who insulted China (while in transit @ HKG) to quarantining people for 3-4 weeks, now this?? It feels deliberate and designed to dissuade travelers to HKG altogether and let one of the main carriers take over. Check your Twitter feed before booking anything transiting HKG (whenever transiting resumes). Sad for CX.
In 1966 I flew on a DC6 from South Africa to Hong Kong with stops in Mauritius, Columbo and Bangkok it took forever. Oh how times have changed
The truth is the best form of testing would be multiple days leading up to the day of travel, and mandating everyone to be boostered and if not, then completely deny transit through the airport.
I know of someone who got onto a flight, covid positive. Originally destined for a country that required proof of negative covid test, but since the entire family of four was positive, they had to re-route to a country...
The truth is the best form of testing would be multiple days leading up to the day of travel, and mandating everyone to be boostered and if not, then completely deny transit through the airport.
I know of someone who got onto a flight, covid positive. Originally destined for a country that required proof of negative covid test, but since the entire family of four was positive, they had to re-route to a country that didn't require covid negative test. Then they took a cross border train to get back into their country.
You have no idea who is on your plane. Good for Hong Kong (except the part where they're getting creamed by commies)
That shows anyone how effective banning passengers without a negative test really is. Just cross via a land border...
Considering that covid is not disappearing soon, ir present everywhere and that very few people who test positive have severe impacts on health, how long does it make logical sense to maintain these restrictions?
What happened to China's grand bargain of prosperity in exchange of human rights? Even leveling down to the Communist Party's terms, this is unfair. Take the opposition newspapers and media, fine, but taking away apolitical businesses' source of revenue? What did Swire did to earn the ire of the Communist Party?
I hope my December 2019 transit through HKIA will not be the last. I will really miss landing early in the AM from the US and taking a hot shower and getting a foot massage before breakfast at the Pier. First world problems . . . . so, lets get everyone vaxxed and boosted hug our family and friends before jaunting all over the world again.
You can’t be so stupid as to think this has anything to do with vaccines or booster.
Does vaccination and boosting protect you from getting infected? As we can see from experience in the USA and Europe, many triple vaccinated still get the virus and test positive.
As a positive test won't get you on a plane all the vaccination will not help you to travel.
Don't get me wrong, the vaccine will help you have milder symptoms, which is good. But no real impact on not spreading the virus while traveling across borders
Ahh..Cathay. When I was growing-up in HKG. They were a great airline. (I took their first ever non-stop flight to LHR, on one of their 747-200s) Whenever I hear the "Love's theme" by Love Unlimited; I ALWAYS think of Cathay...their old theme -tune. RIP:- CX.
Not surprised this is now official. I had an CX upcoming flight JFK-HKG-CGK scheduled for March that got cancelled last week.
I am a huge fan of CX. All the years flying back and forth visiting family in HK, never an issue. The ground staff, the cabin crew, all exceptional. I hope CX recovers some day. Most importantly, I also hope the CCP will reopen the border so we can return to visit the...
Not surprised this is now official. I had an CX upcoming flight JFK-HKG-CGK scheduled for March that got cancelled last week.
I am a huge fan of CX. All the years flying back and forth visiting family in HK, never an issue. The ground staff, the cabin crew, all exceptional. I hope CX recovers some day. Most importantly, I also hope the CCP will reopen the border so we can return to visit the city.
Lastly I would like to add that CX is only a part of Swire's huge investment portfolio. If it means sacrificing CX to retain and grow their investments in the mainland, Swire will have no problem doing so. Sadly.....
Omnicron isn't going anywhere they can try to put it off as long as they want and if they want to lock in their entire country go for it but eventually it's going to get them.
But at the end of the day HK is handling extremely well the pandemic figures.
4 cases in hk against 1 million cases in the US daily! I must say HK is doing a very good job
With everyone vaccinated who wants to be, case count is no longer a relevant statistic. Only hospitalizations and deaths, which remain extraordinarily low amongst the vaccinated population.
HK is cutting off its nose to spite its face. (Or more likely, it's the CCP pulling the strings.)
Of course they'll recover. Honestly, who writes these articles. They seem very negative
Negative yes, but unfortunately quite realistic too. Sometime the truth hurts.
Realstic to the ignorant ones who read this blog perhaps. As an American living in Hong Kong its still thriving and will bounce back. Can't say the same about the US which is the laughing stock of the world right now and a country in decline.
Making an assumption the powers that be want Cathay to survive. Other Mainland based airlines have a lot to gain if they fall.
Lockdown don't work. Most countries starting realize that. We just have live with COVID. Thanks China!
Well shoot. I have a Cathay flight transiting through HKG in June. Doubtful I'll be allowed to take it now. I was a strong supporter of covid restrictions in 2020, but now they're being ridiculous. I agree that the PRC is putting the squeeze on Hong Kong deliberately. They want to discredit Hong Kong as a city-state that can stand on its own without them.
I have no compassion for CX. It chose to fire staff for supporting Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters on their on personal time. Because of the treatment of democracy rights protesters in Hong Kong, I refuse to fly CX or even transit thru Hong Kong, China or Macau.
I've also divested from all China stock investments and try to not purchase anything from China. All three countries were places I travelled frequently and liked to visit until 2019. Never again.
Likewise. I have now thrown my support in everything Taiwan.
And Taiwan does not allow transit long before Hong Kong. LOL!
As before 2019 China was a democracy....yeah right
So glad i had a chance to visit the wonderful city of HK BEFORE China takeover...and COVID!
Honestly, there wasn’t much freedom during colonial time, either. The almost 100 year before Hong Kong returning to China, people in Hong Kong had no democracy.
So you visited before 1997? You do realize it has been part of China since then right? I visited in 2018 and loved it. Plan to go back in a few years when that is possible. I have no issue with their politics and don't care about the business environment. My reason for going is that it is an incredible place and I fully expect it to be in the future. You can take it off your list due to politics but that is, frankly, your loss.
Left HKG right right before the pandemic and a Marco Polo Diamond member for many years.
It pains that such a great city and airline have been drastically changed by recent events and my heart goes to the HKG people and wonderful people at CX, many of whom have become friends…
Are we sure that Hong Kong isn’t controlled by idiots…
Send the country broke…
Sounds like WA.. shut as tight as a drum and don’t want to accept that this virus ‘will not’ disappear
Yes we are sure. Hong Kong is controlled by the mainland Chinese who can be called anything BUT idiots (criminals, nazis genocidal... take your choice).
And the virus won't disappear if they so choose, because THEY control it. And it may have killed 1, 2 or 5 million in China, possibly in the opressed provinces Tibet, XingKiang betc... we'll never know and they can afford it, they have 1.5 billion subjects.
The virus WOULD dissppear if only the anti-vaxxer, anti-government anti-science/anti-intelligence MAGAMORONS, defiants/arrogants and conspiracy theorists would.
Maybe in Spring 2020, but certainly not now.
Wow, sounds like the PRC's got the noose around the neck of Cathay Pacific now. And is tugging harder with every passing day, as I see more and more headlines about the protests, raids, and arrests. How times are changing. Cathay was one of the first airlines I learned about the existence of, back when I was only starting to care about aviation. My parents flew them when immigrating to the US in the '90s....
Wow, sounds like the PRC's got the noose around the neck of Cathay Pacific now. And is tugging harder with every passing day, as I see more and more headlines about the protests, raids, and arrests. How times are changing. Cathay was one of the first airlines I learned about the existence of, back when I was only starting to care about aviation. My parents flew them when immigrating to the US in the '90s. Hong Kong to San Francisco with a stop in Vancouver. Although I never got to fly them, I always had this image of Cathay as a world-class airline with a truly premium reputation. It felt more "polished", certainly in a league above the CN3 or any PRC-based airline. It's always been easy for me to compare them to SQ, whether it was their service, their company/fleet structure, or the type of place they're based (one large hub located in a "city-state"-like territory of several million people with no domestic air market). It sucks that Hong Kong won't ever become another Singapore. We're getting to that point--no more Hong Kong as we've known it, no more Cathay, soon enough no more Cantonese. (Aside from maybe some old village people, it's already wiped from the mainland from what I heard, and the Cantonese speakers in Western countries are rapidly getting dissolved by the wave of newer Mandarin-speaking immigrants. No chance.) I fear that when I'm older, I might be one of few left that has an essentially fully Canto-speaking family background. I always believed, and I still want to believe, that Cathay is too big and strong to just go bust or end up as nothing more than a small, regional, PRC-governed airline. It's 25 years too soon. Incredibly sad.
That Hong Kong did not become Singapore has everything to do with British than the Chinese….
Very true. They never complained when their governor was appointed by the British. Then when it’s china’s turn, they have so much to say…
This is absolute insanity.
....with no sign of abating. :(
The problem for CX is that Swire has controlling management of the airline and is feeding a large number of its subsidiaries a significant portion of CX business.
It seems that China wants to run this management out of the country and nationalise the carrier. Swire will be under pressure to relinquish their management. Having a 40% shareholder controlling the daily business activities is lunacy and is blatantly favouring Swire’s other companies bottom line.
Hong Kong = the new Forbidden City?
I have a reward fight from LAX-HKG-Bkk in July with 4 business class seats on Cathay l. I hope Covid improves and they survive so I can take my family there.
Very unlikely that it will function. Please make alternate arrangements
I would be booking an alternative. My travel agent - part of one of Australia's biggest corporate travel companies, has been advised by their head office, not to book clients on CX. I was hoping to take my wife and travel to Vancouver via Hong Kong in September and spend a few days at the Mandarin. That has gone now booked J class QF SYD/YVR.
I am currently in the Philippines. I was originally booked on CP via HK to Cebu. Thankfully CP abruptly cancelled My ticket with no explanation. I rebooked on JAL / AS via ANC, SEA, SD, NAR, MNL. I am afraid my days of booking CP J class tics at 50k each using AS mikes are over. RIP
This must be satire, lol. Pretty funny...
i feel sad. for so many times in the past whenever i had my vacation from work in the KSA i would pass by Hongkong via Cathay Pacific for a couple of days. as in always! God willing this pandemic shall soon end. i love to visit the place again.
I visited Hong Kong in 2018 and loved it. Look forward to someday going back. However, it is clear it will never be what it was. I can see it still serving a vital purpose as a business hub for China (and likely will have some tax and business incentives to remain that way). However, no real need for an airline to be based in Hong Kong with so many Chinese airlines available. Suspect there...
I visited Hong Kong in 2018 and loved it. Look forward to someday going back. However, it is clear it will never be what it was. I can see it still serving a vital purpose as a business hub for China (and likely will have some tax and business incentives to remain that way). However, no real need for an airline to be based in Hong Kong with so many Chinese airlines available. Suspect there will still be plenty of flights into and out of Hong Kong for business or tourism purposes but don't think you will ever see a Hong Kong based airline again. COVID is a convenient excuse for China to consolidate power and keep Hong Kong on a short leash.
Truly, it's as if they are doing anything possible to kill Cathay. It's so sad. I can't help but think it's due to them being one of the last vestiges of the "old" Hong Kong and Britain. Wiping out cultures, like they have been doing in Tibet for years, is an expert technique of the Chinese government. Covid has given them carte blanche to implement it faster than ever.
And this is just one reason I will not return.
Why Stephen? Statement against Chinese control? IMHO Hong Kong is still one of the most amazing places to visit in the world. Doubt whatever China does will significantly impact the vast majority of tourists. If you want to make a political statement fine but frankly your loss, not theirs.
I'll gladly take the same "loss".
Whatever you are smoking, may I have some ?
It's so bad for the people who loves to take Cathay Pacific because the trust and belief that's one of the best airline taking from North America to Asia. What suffering that Chinese government especially Carrie Lam imposed to the Hong Kong community and travelers, there are other ways to minimize the effect of pandemic situation. Too much for everyone that brings anger. Have faith in the Lord Jesus to help solve the problem. He's...
It's so bad for the people who loves to take Cathay Pacific because the trust and belief that's one of the best airline taking from North America to Asia. What suffering that Chinese government especially Carrie Lam imposed to the Hong Kong community and travelers, there are other ways to minimize the effect of pandemic situation. Too much for everyone that brings anger. Have faith in the Lord Jesus to help solve the problem. He's the only solution to keep us safe and lead us to better thought of analyzing and finding the best recourse solving the problem.
Faith on the Lord to solve the problem? WRONG ANSWER! Mankind was given the gifts to have a peacrful, hralthy vetdant world...including free will/free choice.
Mankind has made poor choices...and is responsible for all Earthly problems and has the responsibility to solve/fix those problems rest with US!
It's a matter of free will/free choice.
Oh Pleeeze. "faith in the Lord Jesus...to keep us safe...[and] solving the problem." That's one of the foolish reasons we have the problem. Kinda like praying for anti-vaxxer covid delusionists. Put 10 triple vaccinated elderly people in a room with 10 middle aged non-vaxxed christians and their prayer circles and a little covid virus and see who survives. It aint the ones being prayed for. Grow up.
RIP Cathay Pacific.
RIP Hong Kong.
Absolutely true...well planned extermination of both Hong Kong and CX. All that will be left will be our memories
China is paying back England for the opium war of 1840-3 when England humiliated China and destroyed the palace and forced China to let England trade for Chinese products at will. CATHAY is part of the Jardine group and jardine was part of the opium war winners. China never forgets and this is pay back time
Goodbye Cathay and Hong Kong as we knew it
It's not part of Jardines it's part of Swire.
China is killing CX deliberately. They wand CX gone to be replaced by Chinese Airlines
I suspect the PRC is very interested in the success of the pro-CCP Greater Bay Airlines over CX.
https://onemileatatime.com/greater-bay-airlines-hong-kong/
I was book on Feb 10 flying from London to manila n transit to Hong-Kong.. what will be the situation
Hong Kong is so densely populated that, once released, the virus will spread uncontrollably. That said, the country can't shut down forever. The world will be living with the Covid for decades to come. It's impossible for a country to seal itself off for that long. At some point, Hong Kong needs to decide to rejoin the world and deal with infections as best it can. I've lived in Hong Kong and watched it grow;...
Hong Kong is so densely populated that, once released, the virus will spread uncontrollably. That said, the country can't shut down forever. The world will be living with the Covid for decades to come. It's impossible for a country to seal itself off for that long. At some point, Hong Kong needs to decide to rejoin the world and deal with infections as best it can. I've lived in Hong Kong and watched it grow; from the old farmlands in the New Territories, rural hikes on Lantau, the final years of Kai Tak, to modern mega-developments. I want the best for the island, its residents, and Cathay Pacific.
Hong Kong can and will "shut down" for as long as China stops foreigners from entering, and if that's forever, then Hong Kong will follow. Hong Kong no longer has any semblance of autonomy. If the current rhetoric about "decoupling" the American and Chinese economies hold true, then I wouldn't hold my breath when it comes to Hong Kong reopening.
God bless you my good sir...
If they were actually serious about suppressing imported cases they would have done this long ago. Just think of all the airport employees etc mixing with lord knows who then going in to home in crowded Hong Kong every night.
I was trying to think of a transit situation where I could see my Hong Kong friends for a few hours at the airport . I haven’t been in person since Christmas 2019!
I'm in a more extreme version of the same boat. Because my girlfriend lives there.
I was also last in Hong Kong in December of 2019. Due purely to luck, she was visiting the States in March 2020 when everything shut down, so we were able to spend much of the pandemic together. But since she returned to HK this past August, there hasn't been any feasible way for us to see each other....
I'm in a more extreme version of the same boat. Because my girlfriend lives there.
I was also last in Hong Kong in December of 2019. Due purely to luck, she was visiting the States in March 2020 when everything shut down, so we were able to spend much of the pandemic together. But since she returned to HK this past August, there hasn't been any feasible way for us to see each other. Sure, I could go spend 3 weeks in one of the last remaining Group B countries in order to make myself eligible for entry, followed by another 3 weeks in quarantine. But that's not realistic. So it's all very frustrating.
Feel bad for CX, and for oneworld, for that matter. CX will survive, but likely in a smaller format...it won't be regional like MH, but hard to imagine the global network returning in the same size. We can only speculate.
In the old days when I lived in SFO, HKG was a frequent quick leisure destination...many fond memories...especially of flying in the cockpit into the old Kai Tak (back when we could request the opportunity)....
Feel bad for CX, and for oneworld, for that matter. CX will survive, but likely in a smaller format...it won't be regional like MH, but hard to imagine the global network returning in the same size. We can only speculate.
In the old days when I lived in SFO, HKG was a frequent quick leisure destination...many fond memories...especially of flying in the cockpit into the old Kai Tak (back when we could request the opportunity). HKG has evolved in the last decade and it no longer feels the same to me...
At least AA has the equity investment with China Southern, and I would not be surprised to see their oneworld entry expedited, if possible and desired by CZ.
I love you, Cathay Pacific.
I love you, Hong Kong.
Stay strong.
This is really sad. Cathay Pacific was/is an amazing airline with highly dedicated staff. In my view, one of the best if not the best.
I was book on Feb 10 flying from London to manila n transit to Hong-Kong.. what will be the situation
Better re-book.
Im pretty sure that you will need to cancel and make new bookings to avoid HK !
Maybe London direct Taiwan then on to Manila might be one suggestion ?
Agree with @Andy. It is hugely disappointing to see the Chinese communist government squeeze the life out of CX, one of the very few premium airlines in all Asia.
Wouldn't care less if it was one of the ho-hum mainland Chinese airlines.
it would be useful and relevant to consider revenues and costs, in an apocalyptic article about "passenger" numbers. Boxes on economy seats (because the hold is completely full) are "paying passengers". Friends at EVA send me pictures of passenger cabins packed to the rafters with cargo. maybe CX is doing the same. If so, don't count them out yet. We're less important than we think! LOL
They are also prohibited from operating cargo flights to several countries including the US, France, U.K. and Philippines . It’s not quite the same if they become a cargo only carrier
China is slowly killing HongKong and making it a 3rd tier city.
I believe CX will be set back but not disappear from the radar.
Most of those fighting for Democracy have left HK and those that stay behind have agreed to live under China.
I am hoping that the Swire group can reposition themselves out of HKG and take CX with them.
This is precisely what China wants, the disappearance of Hong Kong as a "Special Economic Region" and its full integration into China... and they absolutely have the means to make it happen This bodes extremely bad for Taiwan which will follow within single-digits years if not months. Since you are a Hong Kong old timer, you know full well, as I do, that the manoeuvers to change HK started in 1997. In the past recent...
This is precisely what China wants, the disappearance of Hong Kong as a "Special Economic Region" and its full integration into China... and they absolutely have the means to make it happen This bodes extremely bad for Taiwan which will follow within single-digits years if not months. Since you are a Hong Kong old timer, you know full well, as I do, that the manoeuvers to change HK started in 1997. In the past recent years it just accelerated.
Here is not the place to discuss it but those who still think that the Covid release was accidental and independent of establishing a New World Order, INCLUDING the present situation in the USA are in for a major shock. I am not even thinking of or addressing the multiple controversies about who did or didn't do what and when in this country's politics during the past two years. They are not of the same magnitude and were all planned, remarkably executed too, 7000 miles away.
Swire has significant investment sin businesses and properties in both Hong Kong and the mainlands. To think they would uproot themselves out of HK just because of Cathay is nothing more than wishful thinking.
HK, the companies in the city and the people that live there will be crushed until they bend the knee to the CCP. HK will be strangled until it is just another chinese city. the brain drain and capital drain out of the city is what the ccp wants to destroy the HK advantage
Hkg and CX will only survive if China wants it to survive. So sad for all HK people and expats who created HKG into the vibrant place it has become.
Hkg is fast becoming a new North Korea. 21 day Government detention including a stay at Penny Bay is a severe mental hardship.
This is sad. HKG was such a fun place to visit and CX first class amazing. I'm afraid I'll never go back (or want to).
I’ve flown CX many times and HKG is a great airport. Filipinos refer to
it as their favourite local airport and airline. This is the nail in the coffin. I don’t understand why they are building a third runway.
An analogy would be the Dutch government banning transit passengers at schiphol.
So much "conspiracy theory" around the Cathay Pacific saga.... May be I try to clarify some of these 'theories"..... (I'm an expat working and living in Hong Kong in the international finance field, I'm an American with home at California)...
1) This is the ownership structure of Cathay Pacific:
Air China (a state owned company owned by China) owns 30%, Qatar Airways 10%, Hong Kong government owns 6% (HK government just injected about $6...
So much "conspiracy theory" around the Cathay Pacific saga.... May be I try to clarify some of these 'theories"..... (I'm an expat working and living in Hong Kong in the international finance field, I'm an American with home at California)...
1) This is the ownership structure of Cathay Pacific:
Air China (a state owned company owned by China) owns 30%, Qatar Airways 10%, Hong Kong government owns 6% (HK government just injected about $6 Billion USD into Cathay 18 months ago), Swire Group 40% (the original UK conglomerate that started Cathay Pacific); the rest 14% owns by small investors and stock holders.
So Hong Kong government and China government owns about 40% of Cathay. Add to the fact that Hong Kong's commercial cargo business and leisure/business travel depends substantially on Cathay Pacific, It is to Hong Kong and China's best interest to keep Cathay Pacific afloat. No, they don't want to destroy Cathay Pacific... (I work in the international finance and involve heavily in aviation and hospitality industry in Asia, I guess I understand more about this business than most casual travelers...)
The current aviation ban is mostly the result of the unrealistic "Zero Covid" strategy that China adopted (HK has no choice but to follow the footstep of China). China, unlike other western countries, can survive and thrive solely on its own internal domestic GDP, they can survive and still thrive (relatively to other western countries include USA, EU, etc..) without foreign capital, investments. So their approach is let the world heals from the Covid, then they open up the boundary.... simple as this.
I don't think being a member of the 50 cent army means you are involved in "international finance, aviation, and hospitality."
Finally someone who seems to get it. Saying Cathay should leave Hong Kong and establish themselves elsewhere for a chance to survive is just... wishful thinking. Swire has very significant investments, in both business and properties, in HK and the mainlands. They're not about to flee Hong Kong even IF they lose Cathay.
It's not a matterr of fleeing Hong Kong, Hong Kong as we've known it is diappearing fast.
One can draw a parallel with Nazi Germany where Mercedes, Porsche, Lufthansa, Siemens and BASF (which by the way manufactured Zyklon B gas) did not flee when the 3rd Reich set in. They just started obeying the new masters. As China quickly becomes the new Nazi Germany, parallels between the countries are fitting.
In another German parallel, this...
It's not a matterr of fleeing Hong Kong, Hong Kong as we've known it is diappearing fast.
One can draw a parallel with Nazi Germany where Mercedes, Porsche, Lufthansa, Siemens and BASF (which by the way manufactured Zyklon B gas) did not flee when the 3rd Reich set in. They just started obeying the new masters. As China quickly becomes the new Nazi Germany, parallels between the countries are fitting.
In another German parallel, this time at the end of WW1, the 2 provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, conquered by Germany in 1870, reverted to France. Hong Kong being returned to Britain at the end of the present saga seems, however, unlikely.
All of that makes sense until you dig deeper. Beijing could care less about Cathay or its investment in it. In fact, their demise is a perfect goal at eradicating all British ties to the past and erasing Hong Kong culture. For Air China, while an investor (as part of the Government), they are now able to soon buy the remainder of the company for cents on the dollar and reshape Hong Kong air travel....
All of that makes sense until you dig deeper. Beijing could care less about Cathay or its investment in it. In fact, their demise is a perfect goal at eradicating all British ties to the past and erasing Hong Kong culture. For Air China, while an investor (as part of the Government), they are now able to soon buy the remainder of the company for cents on the dollar and reshape Hong Kong air travel. This will include erasing the brand or moving it towards a more regional focus. If you are in finance and focusing on transportation I would assume you studied people like Carl Icahn and how eroding an airline works to the benefit of motive. They would be more than happy to see Cathay collapse, even losing their investments, for the long term gain.
Andrea,
EVERY line in your comment shows how much you don't get what's happening. For China, Covid is not a pest to eradicate, it's a tool to submit the World into compliance. Once you'll admit this everything will become clearer.
A country which has killed 8 to 10 million people worldwide, plus an unknown number of their own (it will never be known bu with a population of 1.6 billion they can afford it) doesn't...
Andrea,
EVERY line in your comment shows how much you don't get what's happening. For China, Covid is not a pest to eradicate, it's a tool to submit the World into compliance. Once you'll admit this everything will become clearer.
A country which has killed 8 to 10 million people worldwide, plus an unknown number of their own (it will never be known bu with a population of 1.6 billion they can afford it) doesn't give a hoot about CX even and in particular if they own it or have the controlling interest.
"American with home at California"
"I work in the international finance and involve heavily in aviation"
...yea you're not fooling anyone with the "American expat" act :)
Hong Kong SAR is controlling this in order to curb the COVID cases and then reopen mutually to Chinese Mainland and Macau.
Watch some TVB news for the latest information.
The Chinese Government has a long and unfriendly history with Swire, Cathay's owners. The writing is on the wall.
By far my biggest travel regret is not going to HK. I've been all over Asia but never made it to HK before the Pandemic. As soon as Taiwan opens up I'm going because I've transited TPE many times but never gone outside the airport. Gotta see it before PRC takes over that island also.
Too late. Post-pandemic, what you'll see of HK will be very different from what I saw in 2018. I have similar regrets: didn't fly Concorde for the most frivolous reason (I didn't have the money, but I did have "room" on a credit card and should have maxed it out and flown it), didn't visit New Orleans before katrina breached the levies. But I made it to Babylon Bangkok (RIP) and visited Hong Kong and Taiwan. Carpe Diem!!!
@DenB, Nonsense.
Post COVID (if that ever happens for HK!) Hong Kong will be little changed for *tourists*.
For citizens, sadly, it’s another story.
@BurritoMiles, go visit, you’ll like it.
"didn't visit New Orleans before katrina breached the levies."
Unless you planned to visit New Orleans-East or St. Bernard (neither of which has any draw whatsoever to tourists, with the loss of JazzLand), then you haven't missed out on anything in NOLA.... 99% of the tourist areas/attractions are back to what they were. Should go.
If PRC is doing this to hurt Hong Kong and Cathay, why does Taiwan go even further than Hong Kong? Taiwan has restricted transit at TPE longer than Hong Kong…
The Taiwanese government is supporting BR and CI.
PRC is working to crush Hong Kong, Crovid 19 is only another excuse to isolate, shutter and hide what PRC is doing the pacify Hong Kong into the PRC.
Hong Kong, and, or Cathay Pacific will not emerge from Covid 19. What PRC is doing to the residents is far worse than the virus.
PRC has decided HK needs to be crushed and CX is just collateral damage. HK will never recover, it will be a backwater as it will no longer have any advantage over other Chinese cities. Sad, sad, sad
The CCP killed Hong Kong already.
Given the stance CX took in 2019 during that movement. This is a given. The writing is on he wall. If you still have any Asia Miles left, I'd burn them any way I can.
No surprise of drastic measures given the density of the population.
I have a tripped planned in late august to go to Japan and Bali and returning home through Hong Kong. What are the chances this trip will happen?
Hope you will make it but keep in mind, nowadays you are (almost) only sure you will fly the moment you are buckled up in your seat.
The PRC is trying to squeeze HK in any way that it can. And, it most certainly favors PRC-friendly airlines over a capitalist firm like Cathay. So, I don't see this as Cathay being a random victim - I think that pushing them to the brink is part of this. And if China was so damn concerned about the virus, why did they create it in the first place? Huh?
Hypocrites.
I think the government of China is slowing and deliberately burying Cathay Pacific.
Burying Cathay and the entire economy of HK. Slowly but surely driving out western companies and investments and forcing all HK citizens to work for Chinese companies. Sad.