The world's newest long-haul budget airline got off to an inauspicious start yesterday when its debut flight from Hong Kong to London was cancelled because it lacked permission to fly over Russia.
Nearly 280 passengers on board the Hong Kong Oasis Airlines jumbo jet were sent home or to hotels after being stranded on the tarmac at Chek Lap Kok for more than five hours.
The flight was scheduled to take off at 1pm, after a ceremony to mark Hong Kong-owned Oasis' launch. Managers learned of the problem at 12.09pm, even as the first passengers prepared to board the Boeing 747, said Oasis chairman Raymond Lee Cho-min, who was on board.
'Despite all approvals being received and all paperwork being in order ... the airline's inaugural flight has been delayed by Russian authorities for as yet unexplained reasons,' he said last night.
The carrier's commercial director, Ken Chad, said the Russian authorities suddenly revoked its permission to fly over Russia. 'When we filed our flight plan, it was knocked back,' Mr Chad said.
'We are talking to the Russians and we are also looking at an alternative route over India.'
Oasis said the flight would take off at 1pm today.
