Lai See | Hong Kong Airlines: not the best but blessed

Readers will know that Hong Kong Airlines has suffered some turbulence recently - racking up bills with the Airport Authority; banned from using air bridges (which means it has to bus passengers to the terminal building); refused permission by the Civil Aviation Department from increasing flights; irritation on the part of passengers at the sudden cancellation of flights … and so on. Recently it announced it was stopping its business-class only long-haul flights to London.

However, measures have been taken to improve matters. We understand that Chen Feng, the chairman of HNA, the airline's parent company, has decreed that all Hong Kong Airline's aircraft should carry in their cockpits an image of the Avalokitesvara, a Buddhist image. It may not be a great airline, but now it is at least a blessed one.

The Securities and Futures Commission says it has commenced criminal proceedings against Pacific Sun Advisors and its director Andrew Mantel in relation to four counts of issuing advertisements to promote a collective investment scheme without the authorisation of the SFC.

We see that the firm has two senior advisers who, in their different ways, are colourful characters. Marc Faber has built up a reputation as a canny contrarian investment adviser who despite his cheerful demeanour has acquired the sobriquet Dr Doom, and his newsletter The Gloom Boom & Doom Report is widely read.

The other adviser is chef Martin Yan who made a name for himself with his cooking programme Yan can cook. His inclusion as senior adviser is a bit of a surprise. We know he can cook but can he invest?