[cwoodward]

Cathay is ramping up it flights to Europe this month despite the still 21 day quarantine into Hong Kong
Madrid and Milan start this week and Zurich probably later this month. It seems that despite the likely low passenger numbers to HK these flights can with freight still brake even. The airline said that it is hoping to add more destinations in December.

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Bullfrog

[TominScotland]

Flights that brake even are likely to come to a juddering halt…….

4 users thanked author for this post.

Switzerlanding, Swissdiver, BackOfThePlane, ASK1945

[cwoodward]

[postquote quote=1117093]

Why may I ask?
It is not as though this is along term solution and these are existing profitable routes.
Short term expediency reacting to poor circumstances – good move in my book.
I see no problems or any likelihood of cancelation before things return to normal for Cathay

[ASK1945]

[postquote quote=1117110]

I believe TiS was referring to your use of the word “brake”, not the message behind your post. We presume you meant to write “break”.

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FaroFlyer, Johnnyg, cwoodward, StephenLondon, DerekVH, AMcWhirter

[stevescoots]

Starting Monday HKG will be separated into 2 sections, one for transit to all places apart from the mainland starting at Gate 24 , and 1-23 will be for mainland transit only. Staff were doing training and prep yesterday. Apparently the Pier will re-open to service outside China transit. Seems that as the rest of the world opens HK is further entrenching. My first covid transit through HKG was last year and apart from not allowed landside there were no restrictions, last one was 3 weeks ago and transit passengers were not allowed to use the F lounge and restricted to certain places to eat which is odd as all passengers could mix outside them. now its going to be fully regulated. Feeling amongst my friends who work at HKIA is don’t expect to be able to enter Hk freely or restrictions removed in the airport until the mainland does which is looking like november next year at best

[K1ngston]

Steve, so I understand can I fly through HKIA transiting lets say to the UK from Singapore etc, or the whole transiting etc is closed? Thanks K

[IanFromHKG]

Anecdotally I hear CX is still cancelling a significant proportion of passenger flights to Europe at short notice. We have a couple of trips planned but aren’t booking CX. As a non-EU airline, no EU261 protection on flights *to* Europe and the risk (for us) is just too high. If return flights are cancelled the knock-on impact is huge – loss of non-refundable quarantine hotel bookings, lack of availability of new quarantine hotel bookings (these are now routinely full months in advance) and so on.

I love CX and would love to fly them again – and still have my Diamond (OW emerald) status with them – but I don’t see myself flying them any time soon. Sad.

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stevescoots

[MartynSinclair]

[quote quote=1117295]Anecdotally I hear CX is still cancelling a significant proportion of passenger flights to Europe at short notice.[/quote]

Hi Ian – my first trip back to Asia in a few weeks, involved 1 sector with CX, 1 sector with Thai and the longhaul’s with BA. 24 hours after booking/paying, CX cancelled their solitary sector (as previously happened, you may recall) and replaced with a totally impractical booking after New Year.

Result, my amazing TC rebooked the flights and route, over to QATAR – so first time using the middle east hop (and I now miss a stop over in SIN – with the promised hospitality from K1ngston… )

At least I can get back to BKK… quarantine free….

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K1ngston, IanFromHKG

[IanFromHKG]

Good luck with your trip, Martyn!

Our next trip back to Europe was booked with Lufty but seeing a newspaper article about rising cases there the Memsahib has now started booking backup flights. Fingers crossed!

We will miss Christmas with the Offspring due to the ridiculous quarantine requirements here and their respective schedules, which make a trip completely unworthwhile in either direction. But we are hoping to meet them next year to celebrate Junior Offspring’s 21st – airlines, quarantine requirements and everything else permitting!

[stevescoots]

[postquote quote=1117294]

yes, transit is no problem but just restricted to one area of the terminal after gate 24. i will be transiting through myself in a few weeks SGN-HKG-LHR

[K1ngston]

[postquote quote=1117508]

Sorry you cant make it here Martyn, my liver and whisky collection are relieved however 🙂 The wonderful Mr K was also looking forward to cooking you your favourite Weekend meal ….. Next time!!

1 user thanked author for this post.

MartynSinclair

[K1ngston]

[postquote quote=1117603]

Thanks Steve for that, but are you not concerned that CX seem to be cancelling a lot of flights and the last thing you need such as Martyn discovered is the inability to travel due to that circumstance?

[stevescoots]

[postquote quote=1117605]

yes i have concerns and my return flight alreday got changed once to an unsuitable date meaning i had to pull back a full week to be home before Xmas. However the SGN/HKG/LHR route has been reasonable stable past few months…famous last words! I am keeping eyes on EK and QR though in case i need to jump carrier. With HKG now corraling transit passengers and VN looking more like it will fully open in Feb to double jabbed allowing me to return to my monthly shuttle i dont see me using CX again until HK opens, considering the mainland PSB just flat out rejected my application to enter with an unnoffial verbal comment of try again in 6 months.

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K1ngston

[maxgeorge]

Cathay left a planeload of us stranded in LAX for a seven hour ‘crew delay’, back before Covid.

No advance notice, no help or meal vouchers, barely an explanation, and no compensation offered.

Two letters sent to Customer Service resulted in two USD50 coupons for in-flight purchase.

Hah!

CX was always a favourite, but evidently cancellations have now become commonplace.

**

In complete contrast, LAM (Linhas Aereas de Moçambique), aka “Late and Maybe” only let me down once, a 45 minute aircraft change in Pemba. And the flight attendant brought us all a bottle of nicely chilled Laurentina beer from the airport bar.

Obrigado, Can’t beat that!

[IanFromHKG]

Apparently CX are now almost at break-even. Let’s hope this will make their service a bit more reliable

But as stated, with the appalling problems created for incoming passengers in the event of a cancellation we will continue to book multiple refundable flights for any return to Hong Kong – and CX’s fares are so high that we haven’t made a single booking with them. Sad…

[Author]

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