Cathay to cut worldwide capacity by 30% [Now 96%]

[jrfsp]

I'm nervous about my CX J award in June to Europe. Just looked at CX's schedules for March and they are barely flying any long haul into europe/Australia except for a handful of days.

Any other options? Can always book two and cancel one nearer the time even if its a Y seat , shock horror

 

[focusedbear]

"How did you go bankrupt?"
"Two ways...gradually and then suddenly"

Soon to come: the CX version

But in January cargo slumped to 20% of pre-pandemic levels as tougher quarantine rules kicked in. The airline said Monday it expects to burn more cash, up to 1.5 billion Hong Kong dollars, the equivalent of US$192.6 million, a month starting in February.

Under Fire Over Omicron Outbreak, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Faces Bigger Losses

The carrier warned it would burn cash as the city’s longer quarantine rules for crew hurts cargo flights.

www.wsj.com

 

[tomlee1986]

"How did you go bankrupt?"
"Two ways...gradually and then suddenly"

Soon to come: the CX version

But in January cargo slumped to 20% of pre-pandemic levels as tougher quarantine rules kicked in. The airline said Monday it expects to burn more cash, up to 1.5 billion Hong Kong dollars, the equivalent of US$192.6 million, a month starting in February.

Under Fire Over Omicron Outbreak, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Faces Bigger Losses

The carrier warned it would burn cash as the city’s longer quarantine rules for crew hurts cargo flights.

www.wsj.com

not surprised with that - especially with the hk "quarantine" rules - technically its to stop hkers from leaving hkg under bno visa

 

[drron]

Will be even worse if the expat brain drain continues. Doubt Hong Kong can ever regain it's former status.

Hong Kong’s financial sector faces talent crunch as expats head for the exit

Late last year, Tania Sibree quit her well-paid job as a financial services lawyer in Hong Kong and returned to Australia rather than live a moment longer with the city's strict coronavirus restrictions.

www.reuters.com

 

[tomlee1986]

Will be even worse if the expat brain drain continues. Doubt Hong Kong can ever regain it's former status.

Hong Kong’s financial sector faces talent crunch as expats head for the exit

Late last year, Tania Sibree quit her well-paid job as a financial services lawyer in Hong Kong and returned to Australia rather than live a moment longer with the city's strict coronavirus restrictions.

www.reuters.com

it will definitely be worse in 2022 in my opinion

 

[drron]

The Europeans think restrictions in Hong Kong will last until 2024. CX won't last that long.

Hong Kong risks exodus over extended COVID isolation, Euro chamber says

Hong Kong may not reopen until early 2024 because of its strict COVID-19 policies, which could trigger an exodus of foreign firms and staff and jeopardise the city's role as a financial hub, its European Chamber of Commerce said in a draft report.

www.reuters.com

Though Singapore not doing much better with it's expats.

Expats head for the exit as 'easy' Singapore's COVID controls bite

Companies and expatriate professionals have long been drawn to the business-friendly country, but COVID has prompted soul-searching among many relatively affluent expats in Singapore, where foreign workers make up a fifth of its 5.5 million population.

www.reuters.com

 

[focusedbear]

At least one investment bank is exploring shifting some staff from HK to SG. My sense is that this move is being driven by staff demand than by a decree from the top.

An excerpt that gives the gist:

Bank of America, the second-largest US bank by assets, has started a review of its Hong Kong business to identify workers who can be relocated to Singapore as severe pandemic control measures have forced global businesses to re-evaluate their operations in the Chinese territory.

The bank’s management is considering roles in a number of its business lines and operations, according to a person close to the bank. “It is [in the] early stages of figuring out who might want to go . . . but the process has started,” the person added.

A second person close to the bank described the process as “contingency planning” and said the moves could be permanent or temporary while Covid-19 restrictions on travel persist.

It is not yet known how many people will be relocated and a wholesale move of any business or operation is unlikely. Bank of America declined to comment.

Bank of America examines relocating staff from Hong Kong to Singapore

Review begins to identify workers who can be moved as strict quarantine rules stifle territory’s role as regional hub

www.ft.com

 

[focusedbear]

AU to HK flight ban has been extended to 18 Feb. But quarantine cut to 14 days

Hong Kong’s 14-day quarantine period ‘still too long for business travellers’

Chief Executive Carrie Lam concedes cutting period by seven days will not be enough to satisfy business community.

www.scmp.com

 

[tomlee1986]

AU to HK flight ban has been extended to 18 Feb. But quarantine cut to 14 days

Hong Kong’s 14-day quarantine period ‘still too long for business travellers’

Chief Executive Carrie Lam concedes cutting period by seven days will not be enough to satisfy business community.

www.scmp.com

I am not surprised by it to begin with because the Beijing winter games

Also a classic travel company in HK had went bankrupt - in hk media today - this travel agency was in business for 50 years

星晨旅遊

星晨旅遊

www.mst.com.hk

 

[Chicken]

Also a classic travel company in HK had went bankrupt - in hk media today - this travel agency was in business for 50 years

星晨旅遊

星晨旅遊

www.mst.com.hk

Yeah. My father is one of those who still book flights via travel agents (and he's defininately not in the AFF demographic, nor does he book complicated itineraries). Just told him about this thanks to your link, and gave him a 'I told you so'. I got him here at the beginning of this month using my KF mile flying SQ metal in J obviously.

 

[tomlee1986]

Yeah. My father is one of those who still book flights via travel agents (and he's defininately not in the AFF demographic, nor does he book complicated itineraries). Just told him about this thanks to your link, and gave him a 'I told you so'. I got him here at the beginning of this month using my KF mile flying SQ metal in J obviously.

glad to see your father is safe in australia now....

 

[kamchatsky]

AU to HK flight ban has been extended to 18 Feb. But quarantine cut to 14 days

Hong Kong’s 14-day quarantine period ‘still too long for business travellers’

Chief Executive Carrie Lam concedes cutting period by seven days will not be enough to satisfy business community.

www.scmp.com

I cannot see how they would stop the ban, unless HK ditches the Covid zero policy, or Australia significantly reduce their Covid case numbers ….

 

[Pushka]

I cannot see how they would stop the ban, unless HK ditches the Covid zero policy, or Australia significantly reduce their Covid case numbers ….

WA likely to increasing in numbers eventually so not likely.

 

[Chicken]

I cannot see how they would stop the ban, unless HK ditches the Covid zero policy, or Australia significantly reduce their Covid case numbers ….

2 weeks is actually doable. It is not going to allow people to fly in on a Monday for a meeting on Tuesday then fly out on Wednesday, but it would not be a large barrier for people who really need to fly into Hong Kong.

The problem at the moment is predictability. Constantly changing rules is where the problem is, causing airlines to simply shrug and give up on the port of Hong Kong. They just need to ensure there are sufficient quarantine hotel rooms, and promise to allow planes to land. People who need to travel to see friends and relatives and for relocation are not going to be detered by 2 weeks of hotel quarantine. Many countries been going it for long time now.

And I guess Carrie Lam could first pull a Queensland and tell people we are going to open up, so go get jabbed or die, then pull a Singapore telling people to go get jabbed or die a bad death at home because the government is not going to give you free healthcare.

Oh wait, no one listens to Carrie Lam anymore ......

 

[kamchatsky]

2 weeks is actually doable. It is not going to allow people to fly in on a Monday for a meeting on Tuesday then fly out on Wednesday, but it would not be a large barrier for people who really need to fly into Hong Kong.

The problem at the moment is predictability. Constantly changing rules is where the problem is, causing airlines to simply shrug and give up on the port of Hong Kong. They just need to ensure there are sufficient quarantine hotel rooms, and promise to allow planes to land. People who need to travel to see friends and relatives and for relocation are not going to be detered by 2 weeks of hotel quarantine. Many countries been going it for long time now.

And I guess Carrie Lam could first pull a Queensland and tell people we are going to open up, so go get jabbed or die, then pull a Singapore telling people to go get jabbed or die a bad death at home because the government is not going to give you free healthcare.

Oh wait, no one listens to Carrie Lam anymore ......

Yeah, but we are talking about CX here. They are based at HKG so they have not much hope for surviving ….. The government knows this as they are waiting for Swire to fold first …..

 

[Chicken]

Yeah, but we are talking about CX here. They are based at HKG so they have not much hope for surviving …..

CX can operate as long haul and just use HKG as a transit plus refuelling station, if Hong Kong government allow transit. The problem at the moment is Hong Kong does not permit transit.

If all CX crews were based overseas, you could simply have all flight crews quarantined on airside areas, while workers based in Hong Kong (say luggage handlers) could be quarantined on landside. You can always find a solutions to these things.

I see the current situation as the Hong Kong government unable to come up with a long term solution, hence operating as a headless chicken and in reactive mode.

The government knows this as they are waiting for Swire to fold first …..

Or maybe the governement is waiting for those who are unwilling to vaccinated to die first?

I have a friend with extensive relos in Hong Kong, where the relatives would for whatever reason (they suspect due to some Chinese medicine practitioner telling them) only get Sinovac, refuse to get Pfizer. That friend told them to get Pfizer but not making any impact. Some of them are not even getting their first dose.

Then there are still a lot of people who just outright refuse to get any vaccine. Just look at the Hong Kong government dashboard , click the button Second Dose:
- 80 yo are 20.5%
- 70-79 are 48.53%
- 60-69 = 66.1%

Click the button to Pfizer only, and the numbers are dire:
- 80+ = 7.15%
- 70-79 = 20%
- 60-69 = 30.05%

Forget about any theory on CCP / Hong Kong govt / national security law. How could you open up and do away with quarantine, if this is the sort of Pfizer vaccination rates?

 

[drron]

There have been several articles on the low vaccination rates for the elderly in Hong Kong. This goes against all advice for a pandemic response. In Hong Kong now this must involve at least the Government looking the other way if not a deliberate policy. If so it is a massive crime inflicted on their elderly citizens.

 

[kamchatsky]

CX can operate as long haul and just use HKG as a transit plus refuelling station, if Hong Kong government allow transit. The problem at the moment is Hong Kong does not permit transit.

If all CX crews were based overseas, you could simply have all flight crews quarantined on airside areas, while workers based in Hong Kong (say luggage handlers) could be quarantined on landside. You can always find a solutions to these things.

I see the current situation as the Hong Kong government unable to come up with a long term solution, hence operating as a headless chicken and in reactive mode.

Or maybe the governement is waiting for those who are unwilling to vaccinated to die first?

I have a friend with extensive relos in Hong Kong, where the relatives would for whatever reason (they suspect due to some Chinese medicine practitioner telling them) only get Sinovac, refuse to get Pfizer. That friend told them to get Pfizer but not making any impact. Some of them are not even getting their first dose.

Then there are still a lot of people who just outright refuse to get any vaccine. Just look at the Hong Kong government dashboard , click the button Second Dose:
- 80 yo are 20.5%
- 70-79 are 48.53%
- 60-69 = 66.1%

Click the button to Pfizer only, and the numbers are dire:
- 80+ = 7.15%
- 70-79 = 20%
- 60-69 = 30.05%

Forget about any theory on CCP / Hong Kong govt / national security law. How could you open up and do away with quarantine, if this is the sort of Pfizer vaccination rates?

That’s because HK has adapted a Covid zero strategy, so the citizens sees no need to vaccinate.

It is similar to some of the Australian states last year, where they have very slow uptake in vaccination, until the government tells them that they are going to open the border and let Covid rip, there is really no incentives for them to be vaccinated.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

That’s because HK has adapted a Covid zero strategy, so the citizens sees no need to vaccinate.

It is similar to some of the Australian states last year, where they have very slow uptake in vaccination, until the government tells them that they are going to open the border and let Covid rip, there is really no incentives for them to be vaccinated.

Is the low take-up also partly because a segment also might have strong relationship with chinese medicine practices???

 

[Chicken]

In Hong Kong now this must involve at least the Government looking the other way if not a deliberate policy. If so it is a massive crime inflicted on their elderly citizens.

No it isn't. The Hong Kong government had done a lot to push and pull people, even sending clinicians to nursing homes to convince each individal person; the problem there is poor communications, and the lack of trust in the government. There aren't indepth reports on what happens overseas (the number of people dying around the world), and people think the truth is always the opposite of what the government tells them. People in Hong Kong turned a science question into a political question.