“This is what happens when you don’t have enough pilots. There will always be some illness among crew but this doesn’t mean flights have to be cancelled,” Chairman of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association Paul Weatherilt told HKFP.
by James Lee
Hong Kong flagship carrier Cathay Pacific has cancelled over 40 flights in the days leading up to the new year, citing absences caused by seasonal illness. However, the airline’s pilots’ union has pointed to a shortage of senior pilots.
See also: Furious pilots and a lack of trust: Why aircrew at Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific are quitting what was once a dream job
According to Cathay’s website and the Hong Kong Aviation Forum, at least 43 flights scheduled between Friday and January 1 next year have been cancelled. That includes several flights between Hong Kong and Japan, mainland China, Singapore, Australia, and South Korea – among other destinations.
The airline apologised to passengers affected by the disruptions, and attributed the cancellations to “seasonal illness on certain days in December.”
“Cathay Pacific experienced higher than anticipated pilot absence caused by seasonal illness on certain days in December. Our operations remain normal overall, with a marked increase in the number of flights operated over the holiday peak season,” a Cathay statement read on Friday.
“We have chosen to proactively cancel a small number of flights in order to ensure the successful delivery of our overall services. The total number of cancellations since mid-December is less than 1 per cent of all passenger flights operated.”
Pilot shortage
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association Paul Weatherilt said the shortage of pilots a year into the city’s post-pandemic recovery was “at the root” of flight cancellations and delays.
He told HKFP on Friday that the airline’s passenger operation only had around half of the captains and first officers that it had pre-pandemic, adding: “This is what happens when you don’t have enough pilots. There will always be some illness among crew but this doesn’t mean flights have to be cancelled.”
“Because of the decisions taken by management in 2020 the airline’s passenger operation only has 52 per cent of the Captains and First Officers that it used to have,” said Weatherilt, a captain at the flagship airline.
Returning to pre-pandemic levels of profitability has been an uphill battle for the carrier, following losses of HK$33.7 billion over the course of the pandemic.
The companyslashed its workforce by almost a quarter in October 2020and shut down its subsidiary Cathay Dragon, which mainly flew short-haul flights within Asia. The downsizing effort led to a total of 8,500 job losses, with 5,300 of them among Hong Kong-based staff.
Meanwhile, most other airlines around the world have fully recovered, while Cathay’s had stalled, he said. According to a report provided by the association, the current number of pilots at Cathay stands just 58 per cent of pre-Covid levels.
As of December 13, Cathay employs 638 Captains – 52 per cent of the 1,228 employed pre-Covid; 800 First Officers – 52 per cent of the previous 1,544; and 541 Second Officers – 88 per cent of the previous 613.
“The most significant shortage is in fully qualified experienced pilots – Captains and First Officers,” the statement read. All flights require, at minimum, one Captain and First Officer each.
The association also said Cathay’s recruitment drive to hire 800 cadets by the end of 2024 “will not solve the short term problem of lack of senior pilots.”
“It will be years before the required training can be completed and Hong Kong can recover its status as a globalaviationhub,” Weatherilt said.
It usually takes around 10 years to become a captain, progressing through the ranks from trainee to second officer, first officer, and then captain – of which there are several ranks.
Earlier this August, Cathay Pacific Group posted its first half-year profit since 2020, with earnings increasing to HK$4.26 billion. It announced that it was close to 60 per cent of pre-pandemic passenger capacity and on the way to resuming 70 per cent by the end of 2023.
According to a Cathay statement issued last week, the airline carried some 1.63 million passengers this November. The figure for June was 1.55 million, and for July, 1.74 million.
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James Lee is a reporter at Hong Kong Free Press with an interest in culture and social issues. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Journalism from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he witnessed the institution’s transformation over the course of the 2019 extradition bill protests and after the passing of the Beijing-imposed security law.
Since joining HKFP in 2023, he has covered local politics, the city’s housing crisis, as well as landmark court cases including the 47 democrats national security trial. He was previously a reporter at The Standard where he interviewed pro-establishment heavyweights and extensively covered the Covid-19 pandemic and Hong Kong’s political overhauls under the national security law.
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Flight Cancellations by Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific, the flagship carrier of Hong Kong, has recently canceled over 40 flights leading up to the new year due to absences caused by seasonal illness The airline has attributed these cancellations to "seasonal illness on certain days in December" The cancellations have affected flights between Hong Kong and various destinations, including Japan, mainland China, Singapore, Australia, and South Korea.
Reasons for Flight Cancellations
The pilots' union of Cathay Pacific has pointed to a shortage of senior pilots as the root cause of the flight cancellations and delays . According to the Chairman of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association, Paul Weatherilt, the airline's passenger operation currently has only around half of the captains and first officers it had before the pandemic Weatherilt emphasized that while there will always be some illness among the crew, a shortage of pilots should not lead to flight cancellations.
Impact of the Pandemic on Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific has faced challenges in returning to pre-pandemic levels of profitability. The airline reported losses of HK$33.7 billion over the course of the pandemic and implemented measures such as workforce reduction and the closure of its subsidiary, Cathay Dragon . These efforts resulted in significant job losses, with 8,500 positions being cut, including 5,300 among Hong Kong-based staff.
Pilot Shortage and Recruitment Efforts
The shortage of pilots at Cathay Pacific has been a significant issue. The current number of pilots stands at just 58% of pre-Covid levels The airline's recruitment drive to hire 800 cadets by the end of 2024 is not expected to solve the short-term problem of the lack of senior pilots It typically takes around 10 years to become a captain, progressing through various ranks from trainee to second officer, first officer, and then captain.
Recovery and Passenger Capacity
Cathay Pacific has been working towards resuming its pre-pandemic passenger capacity. In August, the airline announced that it was close to 60% of pre-pandemic passenger capacity and aimed to reach 70% by the end of 2023 The airline carried approximately 1.63 million passengers in November, with the figure gradually increasing .
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