Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines face cuts to flights ahead of much-delayed air traffic control system
Cathay, Dragonair, HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines must reduce November services by 10pc, but authorities insist move does not ‘constitute any confidence issue’ with new technology
Hong Kong airlines are being asked to reduce their flight schedules by 10 per cent in November in an effort help the aviation regulator ease the introduction of a much-delayed air traffic control system, the Sunday Morning Post can reveal.
In a move that appeared to signal a lack of confidence in the new flight radar tracking technology, the Civil Aviation Department and the Airport Authority both insisted that the “reduction of handling capacity does not constitute any confidence issue to the ATC system”.
Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary, Dragonair, which operate a combined total of more than 450 daily flights and form Hong Kong’s biggest airline group, face the largest cut among carriers.
However, Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express, which handle 90 and 45 flights a day, respectively, are also expecting some disruption.
Across all four airlines, aircraft maintenance could be brought forward and regional destinations with multiple daily flights are expected to bear the brunt of the temporary flight cancellations.
The timing, airlines said, was being made during a quieter travel period so disruption to flights would be minimised.