ExclusiveCoronavirus: Cathay Pacific resumes more flights to Europe, but tough quarantine rules disrupt some plans

Increase in flights made possible because each service could cover its operating costs, aided by strong air cargo demand

Madrid, Milan among latest destinations but plans for Zurich ditched because of a lack of aircrew

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Cathay Pacific is planning to reconnect with more cities. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 7:00pm, 7 Nov 2021Updated: 12:31pm, 8 Nov 2021

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific has resumed flights to more European cities this month for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic struck, but tough quarantine rules have disrupted some of the carrier’s plans, the Post has learned.

Cathay reconnected with more European cities – with Madrid and Milan the latest destinations – in November for the first time since Hong Kong ordered returning residents to quarantine upon arrival from overseas in late March 2020.

Hong Kong’s flagship airline, however, has ditched plans to relaunch its Zurich service as it does not have enough aircrew to operate flights to Switzerland, deemed by Hong Kong as a high-risk country for Covid-19.

Cathay Pacific ground crew at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Nora Tam

Sources familiar with the situation said the increase in flights was made possible because each service could cover its operating costs, aided by strong air cargo demand and by appealing to transit travellers to fly through Hong Kong as the rest of the world reopened.

The company internally said it still intended to reconnect with more cities next month, but according to a Cathay spokeswoman, its December schedule has not yet been finalised.