Mr. Shangkong | Cathay and Dragonair fail the test in crisis management
As Usagi approaches HK, both airlines have let passengers down by not offering help in rescheduling flights or being available to answer inquiries
A good airline is definitely not only about new planes and beautiful airport lounges, but also about customer service, in particular in difficult times.
From this point of view, Cathay Pacific Airways and sister company Dragonair are far from being good carriers - at least not in days of bad weather.
Both Hong Kong-headquartered airlines announced on Saturday that they would halt all flights in and out of the city from 6pm on Sunday as Severe Typhoon Usagi roared towards here. They said they made the decision after consulting in-house weather experts.
The city's tourism executives described the decision as a surprise. Airlines usually cancel certain flights affected by bad weather during a very specific time slot, rather than all flights.
Of course, the most important thing for any airline operator and its passengers is safety. My 6pm Dragonair flight on Sunday was cancelled, too, but I could totally understand.
What made me and perhaps many other passengers worried was that Cathay and Dragonair seemed to have done just half their jobs.