Oct 6 (Reuters) – Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd (0293.HK) faces unprecedented staffing and coaching shortages that may hold airfares excessive and threaten Hong Kong’s resumption of its position as a worldwide aviation hub, a pilots’ union stated on Thursday.
“Cathay Pacific … is at present dealing with unprecedented staffing and coaching shortages,” the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Affiliation (HKAOA) stated.
A report variety of resignations by the corporate’s most skilled pilots leaves the airline unprepared to completely resume operations and failing to satisfy resurgent demand, it added in an announcement.
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Cathay didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Final month, the airline stated it anticipated to achieve a 3rd of pre-pandemic passenger capability by year-end, exceeding its earlier estimate of 1 / 4, after crew quarantine guidelines had been eased.
Cathay stated the method was gradual because it wanted a considerable quantity of crew coaching and reactivating of saved plane.
Pilot attrition has been increased than regular after greater than two years of onerous quarantine norms, mixed with everlasting pay cuts of as a lot as 58%.
Till the worldwide monetary hub relaxed COVID-19 curbs on Tuesday, Cathay crew on layovers abroad needed to hold to their lodge rooms.
They need to nonetheless put on masks on layovers besides whereas consuming and ingesting and should keep away from mass gatherings or crowded locations, equivalent to bars.
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Reporting by Jamie Freed in Sydney; Modifying by Tom Hogue and Clarence Fernandez
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