Exclusive | Can Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific reclaim its past glory as a premium airline? It’s trying hard, fixing staff shortages and morale
- Top Cathay executive Lavinia Lau says carrier is improving business and first class, food and in-flight entertainment
- Analysts warn airline must act swiftly to resolve persistent staff shortages and low morale
“We were in a lonely spot,” Cathay’s chief customer and commercial officer, Lavinia Lau Hoi-zee, 53, told the Post. “We went through a really tough time, but then we quickly decided on our strategy going forward and we just have to have faith in our strategy.”
She succeeded Ronald Lam Siu-por in January, when he moved up to be chief executive, making her one of Cathay’s most senior female executives.
Lau laid out to the Post how the carrier hoped to regain the trust of its customers and staff, as well as its place as a premier airline, in her first one-on-one interview since taking up her new role.
Aside from going on a hiring blitz and providing additional training, Cathay was pulling out all the stops to improve its business and first-class offerings, in-flight entertainment and food, she said.
“Our aspiration is to be the world’s leading premium airline,” she said. “To compete with others, we have to make sure that we invest in our products and the whole customer experience.”
Analysts said the airline could get back to its former glory but needed to act swiftly to tackle nagging staff shortages and low morale.