Hong Kong to give away 500,000 air tickets to promote tourism

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)

  • cwoodward
    Participant

    When the last of the quarantine measures disappear in a few weeks the HK Government Tourism will begin a program to spend
    2 billion HK$ to give away 500,000 air tickets to Hong Kong.

    These funds will mostly go of course to Cathay and HK Express as Hong Kong Airlines operates on very few routes now and has been largely reduced to a, still a loss making freight operator.

    The details yet to be announced will be interesting but this is certainly seems a positive initiative at first pass.


    tomyam42
    Participant

    Civil servants again thinking that they can spend our money better than we can ourselves. Cathay do not have enough crew and are operating a policy of adding and cancelling flights day by day, presumably based on the previous days sales and crew health. Enticing visitors to come in this environment will only leave a sour taste in their memories. Having spent much of the past 3 years in Manila I see how well a steady guaranteed multi flight a day service such as offered by SQ attracts the punters. Cathay with its variable uncertain offerings only attracts customers by offering very low prices. It needs more qualified crew then it should publish and operate a fixed timetable.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Tomyam 42
    Unless you reside outside of HK (as it appears that you do) this package was not aimed primarily at you and of course would not your money that is being spent.

    You are af course entitled to your opinion but I can see in your post perhaps a degree of bitterness and factually incorrect nonsense regarding Cathay Pacific who have no shortage of funding, aircraft, cabin crew or pilots having retained 68% of their pre pandemic pilot workforce many who have been paid for the past almost 3 years and are only now beginning to fly again with HK opening up.
    Any tightness of available crew has been eliminated with crew quarantine that unnecessarily tied up many being abolished last week.

    At some point in later 2023 there may be some shortage of pilots but with more joining/returning than leaving every week now this should not be any sort of major issue.
    Your remarks re Cathay schedules are frankly fantasy with more regular scheduled flights to more destinations happening every week as demand grows. Singapore airlines is still flying less than 70% of its schedule which is likely the the best way to steadily get back to prepademic levels. I don’t have knowledge re S’pores loadings but but I do know that most Cathay long -haul flights are running full with short haul at 70% average.

    For the past 3 months Cathay has again been operating profitably which even to the most skeptical must suggest that managements recovery planning is working well. Largely Government owned Singapore airlines is I notice still operating at a loss and with the shares performing poorly but I am sure will also improve given time.

    The free ticket offerings are of course squarely aimed attracting tourists back to Hong Kong not in any way to assist particular airlines as your post seems to suggest.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    [quote quote=1235314]The free ticket offerings are of course squarely aimed attracting tourists back to Hong Kong not in any way to assist particular airlines as your post seems to suggest.[/quote]

    I look forward to hopefully benefiting from this very generous scheme and of course if it means a free ticket (or heavily discounted) ticket on CX in one of their premium classes, I will be very excited to try the airline long-haul.

    I hope you post details as soon as they are known cwoodward


    cwoodward
    Participant

    While I don’t believe that 1st is likely to be in the frame Martyn it may run to a decent discount in business…..perhaps we may get the drink in HK prior to Christmas.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    [quote quote=1235457]perhaps we may get the drink in HK prior to Christmas.[/quote]

    If I come all that way cwoodward – I will need more than a drink 🙂

    I have clients coming from HKG to BKK in December, but I could always get a life back with them… lets see if the restrictions are fully lifted by then…


    christ
    Participant

    Yet again another clueless initiative to spend HK tax payers money to support slippery Cathay.

    Interesting article in FT at weekend about exodus.

    C Woodward is on a different planet from what really is happening in HK – he is the VK of BA! Nothing he has said is not copying SCMP!


    christ
    Participant

    Why is woodward allowed to promote cathay so much as his facts are often wrong on all airlines and i don’t think he currently here (claiming United were flying daily and then backtracking – all his facts are wrong and even on the other guy who challenged).

    These are more rationale views off worldwide sites

    “don’t think anyone will visit for tourist or business reasons when there is still a lot of harassment by health authorities as well as the strong possibility to be sent to the infamous Penny Bay quarantine camp if a test comes back positive (which can always happen).

    I’m very curious what markets will be targeted for these free tickets. Probably most if not all of it will be regional within Asia. I have a hard time believing they would procure long-haul tickets for people to fly complimentary from Europe, Australia or North America.”

    Really woodward is a new VK but at least VK travelled!


    cwoodward
    Participant

    As does cwoodward – christ
    Manila on Thursday – AU -NZ leaving 26th October – the much dreaded Manchester(or possibly LTR) mid November) – Cathay mostly of course. Koh Samui 28th December.
    That christ is why I am a Lifetime Cathay Diamond member with original card issued in 1976 – yes I know that the level no longer exists but it does quietly with replacement card with the new ‘Cathay’ logo plus new baggage tags last month.

    I can perhaps also assist you with a few outline details re the free tickets.

    Aimed at business also with Trade show visitors and exhibitors particularly targeted.
    Local residents also to benefit with tickets to travel ex HKG
    Sport and cultural events also mentioned as were families
    I am not aware of any specifics at this point

    Unfortunately I can’t much assist with your apparent dislike of Cathay, Hong Kong or myself.

    Travel a lot yourself do you ?


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Christ,re United per your above post.

    It was yourself who maintained that United were not flying to HKG ‘no American airline is flying to Hong Kong’ oft repeated in various forms in the context that Hong Kong as an Asian hub ‘was finished’.
    It was indeed I who pointed out the they were flying daily and had been for 2 years – which proved to be absolutely correct rather it appears to your shagrin.

    It’s not totally impossible that I am the original VK of course but about as likely as are Cathay to be ‘slippery’ in the sense that your above email indicates.

    We (I and a couple of friends in the industry) have been puzzled for some time about what is the cause of your continued viral re matters HKG we perhaps now understand – you are maybe a disgruntled former Cathay or Dragon employee bearing something of a grudge.
    Please dont feel the need to answer on my account.

    My self elected function here to firstly answer the obviously’ unfair racially and politically prejudiced posts that had little or nothing to do with business travel is largely done with Hong Kong,its airlines and hopefully myself ‘on the up’ and with again a bright future.

    I notice (in of course the Daily Telegraph) that a former Cathay and Swire Director is about to be appointed to the British House of Lords. A well earned elevation no doubt.

    Post your negative prejudiced nonsense to your heart’s content ‘Mr christ’ Hong Kong and Cathay have survived.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Martyn, a very decent and affordable dinner with my lovely (and rather long suffering wife) at the Mandarin ‘Chinnery’ bar recently.
    The dover sole on the bone and the lobster bisk have been in my opinion unbeatable for years and the wine list more than decent. Not that I am offering to pay of course……

    Any old regular forum hands would be very welcome of course.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    FormerBA
    Participant

    Just seen Loyalty lobby’s critic of HKG airport after his visit.
    The images show a deserted airport and limited flights. But the restrictions at the airport, (clean/ Blue) HKG and mainland China then the (Orange/Dirty) rest of world including a ban on the use of the First wing unless you have Blue status. This status he states is only possible if you been in town 4 days and have 2 negative PCR tests. Blue status he states, is required to access bars, malls and restaurants. If true tourist effectively still have 4 days quarantine.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    stevescoots
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1236103]

    yes, i transited HKG on sunday morning and transit pax are still seperated from mainland transit and cannot enter the main terminal area (before gate 20 something) also at 8am the transit area at the end of the main walk was looking at 40-50 mins to clear, it was absolutley packed. I had a short connection time of one hour and had to be escorted through the line which mean a lot of pushing and squeezing past even for CX staff with me. have done this connection many times and usually its a 10 min one at most. also my bag never made it with me to SGN which has never happened on this schedule before, one suspects HKG maybe suffering ground staff shortages as well.

    IF you are transiting HKG on any airline other than CX all the way i suggest you give a min 2 hours now. i can see now why CX wou not accept a OW booking flying into HKG on QR and out on CX with a transit of one hour, but on CX they allow 1 hour


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Hi Former BA
    The quote that you mention above was never a correct overview of the situation in Hong Kong or its airport. However if 18 months -2 years ago yes the airport would have been
    quiet. That is not the case now.

    I don’t understand or recognise the situation re lounge access outlined or the ‘dIrty orange- or clean blue’ comment, it seems unpleasant and I suspect a ‘race’ card is perhaps being played here if so I would like to take the opportunity to make it absolutely clear that there is no priority or otherwise in HK based on race.
    Mainland China visitors have not been allowed into HK for at least the past 2.5 years and those few with a business dispensation are treated exactly as any other visitor or resident when entering.

    There is no ban what-so-ever on anyone whatever status, shopping, exercising, swimming entering shopping malls parks or cinemas, or any other attraction in HK including purchasing take-away food from any outlet.

    The only restriction is dining/bars outside of the home or hotel until the app on your phone become becomes green when the test take on entry is tested clear-this normally happens 72 hours after landing.

    This dining restriction applies to ALL residents or visitors ALIKE -to EVERYONE ENTERING HONG KONG. Yes the 72 hour restriction on entry to restaurants is a pain and we all hope that this will be lifted soon but it is the only restriction and it applies to all.


    stevescoots
    Participant

    Cwoodward.

    before they segregated the airport between transit and outbound/mainland transit then the F lounge was not allowed entry by transit passengers. i flew through HKG 3-4 times from sept 2020-dec 2021 . first time i could use the F lounge, after that F was reserved for outbound only and business lounge was for transit only. that changed when they seperated (and still do) and transit pax are not allowed the the main area below around gate 20. I agree though that its not deserted, 8am Sunday was very busy!

    1 user thanked author for this post.
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