Global airlines cut capacity, staff, costs due to COVID-19

US, Hong Kong spat over quarantine rules affecting FedEx ops

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued an order to all Hong Kong-based carriers serving the United States to file schedules, thus opening the door to potential restrictions in response to Hong Kong quarantine rules adversely affecting FedEx Express (FX, Memphis Int'l).

The DOT gave Cathay Pacific, HK Express, and Hong Kong Airlines until March 23 to disclose all of their current passenger, combi, and all-cargo services to the United States. They will then have to file all schedules for future new or resumed routes at least 30 days before their launch. The DOT plans to review all of the filed data and verify whether these flights "may be contrary to applicable law or adversely affect the public interest". In practical terms, the order only applies to Cathay Pacific, the sole Hong Kong-based carrier currently serving the US.

The requirement also covers all code-shared services between Hong Kong Int'l and any points in the United States.

Normally, carriers authorised to operate to the United States do not need to seek...

Cathay Pacific in advanced talks over B777X deferrals

Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong Int'l) has confirmed that it is in advanced talks with Boeing regarding the deferral of its B777-9 orders beyond 2023.

"On January 27, 2021, Boeing announced a delay of the 777X programme with delivery of the first aircraft expected in late 2023. Cathay Pacific is in advanced negotiations with regard to the deferral of its B777-9 deliveries," the airline said in its annual financial report.

Cathay Pacific did not provide any further details regarding a revised delivery timeline. It has a total of twenty-one B777-9s on firm order from the manufacturer.

The airline also said that it increased the impairment charge related to aircraft unlikely to return to "meaningful economic activity" from HKD2.46 billion Hong Kong dollars (USD317 million) announced in mid-2020 to HKD2.87 billion (USD370 million).

"At half-year, we have impaired 16 aircraft. This has increased to 34 by the end of the year. We look at whether the aircraft are likely to re-enter meaningful economic service before they are retired, or their leases expire....

Cathay Pacific adds first A321ceo

Cathay Pacific secures most Cathay Dragon mainland rights

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has awarded Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong Int'l) traffic rights to 15 routes between Hong Kong Int'l and mainland China previously served by the defunct subsidiary Cathay Dragon.

The carrier was granted rights to operate from Hong Kong Int'l to each of: Fuzhou, Qingdao Liuting, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Chengdu Shuangliu, Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Xi'an Xianyang, Wuhan, Wenzhou, Ningbo, Haikou, Sanya, and Chongqing. Prior to the liquidation of Cathay Dragon, Cathay Pacific itself held traffic rights to Shanghai Pudong and Beijing Capital. All traffic rights are valid for scheduled passenger and cargo rights, and are in force retroactively from December 27, 2020.

Although carrier sources assessed the decision as generally positive for Cathay Pacific, CAAC refused some of its requests, including services to Jinan, Kunming Changshui, Changsha Huanghua, Guilin, and Nanning.

Cathay Pacific also did not object to start-up Greater Bay Airlines' request for...