[cwoodward]

Good to see yesterday Cathay flights on the way to London (3 flights), Amsterdam, Perth, Auckland, Brisbane, LA and more flights to Melbourne and Sydney and the important freight route to Anchorage (3 flights).
Also the first flight in from London at 7am this morning Hong Kong time.

They also announced resumed cadet pilot training and this I hope underscores that worst my be finally be over for Cathay.

It seems here that the Chief executive of the SAR who was responsible for the excessive measures to keep Hong Kong borders closed has been quietly ‘rolled’ by her executive team who had become increasing aware that Hong Kong would ‘die’ unless the borders started to reopen immediately. Both business and needed skilled expiates were in the past few weeks leaving in droves and the future of both Hong Kong and Cathay were at tipping point in that if this exodus were to continue there would be no way back for Hong Kong as the Asian financial capital and major business and tourist capital that it for so many years has been.

There is still a long way to go and no certainty that HK will ever fully recover as so much damage has been done but it seems that there will be a change of Chief Executive of Hong Kong come the June ‘election’ as Carrie Lam it is almost certain will not now run.

6 users thanked author for this post.

TupeloKid, Polly, Abidjan, MartynSinclair, Jacob, K1ngston

[FormerBA]

Yes, a glimmer of hope but the restrictions that are in place still are draconian. The requirement for a PCR test for transit passengers when the final destination does not require one is particularly pernicious. That means two for a trip to Bali in the summer if they are not lifted. Fortunately it doesn’t look like Cathy will be returning to DPS any time soon and BA have already cancelled segments, so hopefully I can get rerouted away from Hong Kong.

[cwoodward]

Hi FormerBA I was told by a contact at Cathay this PM that the airline will restart flights to DPS on the 6th April. This info surprised me and needs to be checked as I am not sure that the info is correct and not yet announced or just referring to freight perhaps.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Polly, FormerBA

[AMcWhirter]

[quote quote=1207679]Good to see yesterday Cathay flights on the way to London (3 flights), Amsterdam, Perth, Auckland, Brisbane, LA and more flights to Melbourne and Sydney[/quote]

The news emerged on Twitter yesterday.

By the way according to this agent there are also plans to add more European destinations: Barcelona, Paris CDG, Frankfurt, Madrid, Manchester and Milan MXP.

However “changes are likely.”

Cathay Pacific aims to restart its non LHR European routes as follows this summer. But when it comes to Hong Kong, changes are likely.

AMS 3 weekly July
BCN 1 weekly July
CDG 4weekly July
FRA 5 weekly June
MAD 3 weekly July
MAN 5 weekly July
MXP 2 weekly Jul

— SPD travels 🚄✈️🌉 (@SPD_travels) March 29, 2022

[stevescoots]

Its a Start, but while they still refuse anyone without a HKID to enter even if they are prepared to do quarantine then its still going nowhere. the extra flights will aid CX for sure on transits but HK its self a negligable effect, apart from more flights to get out on.

[cwoodward]

I agree and HK needs urgently to change this policy. There are increasing rumours that the policy will change very soon -I hope that they are correct as it is already a very long way back for Hong Kong

1 user thanked author for this post.

Polly

[K1ngston]

[postquote quote=1207776]
The quote “lunatics in the park” comes to mind! What utter nonsense 2.7 years into this …

6 users thanked author for this post.

TimFitzgeraldTC, Polly, MartynSinclair, Jacob, cwoodward, stevescoots

[Abidjan]

I need to get my CX F Lounge fix, stat. Been too long.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Polly, cwoodward, MartynSinclair

[FormerBA]

So long as I require 4 x PCR test to transit I wont be going anywhere near HKG. What is frustrating is that CX are not selling seats on the HKG DPS route but wont cancel the flights. The is stopping re routing and is adding to anxiety over travel. It not a great situation.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Polly

[Polly]

Am hoping HKG will have lifted those PCR requirements by mid Nov as we are due to fly back to the U.K. on BA using a new type 241. Taxes very low. However, will be prepared to return via another route using avios if we have to. We also need to book CX HKG to DPS, but air Asia or MAS will have to suffice at this stage.
Shame they have fully cancelled the BKK to pax, although cargo still,very profitable on that route, l believe.. and sad about loss of KUL also.

[ASK1945]

[quote quote=1209271]we are due to fly back to the U.K. on BA using a new type 241[/quote]

Polly – what is a “new type of 241?” I haven’t heard about one of these.

[Polly]

ASK1945
New type BA premium plus Amex card, the 241 companion voucher, enables you to fly from outside the U.K. on BA metal only tho, eg. to U.K. from HKG, like we hope to do.

[ASK1945]

Thanks Polly. But I still don’t understand.

Does the BA (Black) Amex card I have held for more than 15 years – which now costs £250 a year- only permit me to book 241 Companion voucher return Avios flights ex-UK, rather than ex-HKG (as an example)? The 241 has always only been usable on BA metal only, as far as I was told by BA.

Before Covid, I did use my 241 to book LHR – Santiago one-way in Club World, then later (to return) Buenos Aires – LHR one way, again in Club World, when that flight became available.

[Polly]

ASK1945

The black BA Amex 241 can be used to depart U.K. as normal. But the new vouchers issued since last September allow you to start from outside the U.K. on BA metal… we are booked one way bk fm HKG on one of those in November, as we are arriving in Singapore on a cruise. So the new o/w option was very timely. It also shows you some extra avios availability from either direction, which is better than the older vouchers….

1 user thanked author for this post.

ASK1945

[FormerBA]

I am due to travel to HKG innJuly and was trying to get BA to reroute.

However it seems that BA are about to cancel the entire summer season of flights season until October as it is currently not possible to book a flight to or from HKG on BA.com My booking remains live but this is generally a precursor to a cancellation.

Cathay, who were brilliant on Twitter yesterday have said that HKG DPS may resume in July but still hangs in the balance.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Polly

[Author]

Posts