Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong’s national carrier, has faced disruptions as it canceled an additional 28 year-end flights, following the cancellation of at least 16 flights during the Christmas holiday season. The affected flights over the next five days were scheduled between Hong Kong and six cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Dubai, Delhi, and Dhaka.
The airline apologized to passengers for the inconvenience caused by the cancellations. The cancellations were attributed to higher-than-expected staff absenteeism due to seasonal illnesses on specific days. In response, Cathay Pacific decided to proactively cancel a limited number of flights to ensure the overall successful delivery of its services.
Chris Kempis, the director of flight operations at Cathay Pacific, addressed the issue in an internal memo, stating that the airline had operated nearly eight percent more services per day during the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Despite canceling less than one percent of flights since mid-December, the decision was made to maintain operational stability.
Kempis acknowledged the hard work of the pilots throughout the year and noted that many were either at or very close to their 900 flying hours in the last 12 months. Some pilots cited concerns about the shortage of experienced cockpit crew and claimed that Cathay Pacific lacked sufficient staff to handle operating flights within the allotted hours.
A pilot highlighted challenges in achieving a work-life balance, expressing dissatisfaction with the airline’s cost-cutting measures, including salary reductions of 40 percent and reduced housing and retirement benefits. The pilot warned that pushing flight time limitations beyond 900 hours in 12 months could lead to more pilots leaving the company.
The disruptions and challenges faced by Cathay Pacific underscore the complexities and workforce issues that airlines navigate, particularly amid global uncertainties and ongoing efforts to manage operational efficiency.
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