Hong Kong’s Cathay ‘confident’ of hitting full capacity but union has doubts

Hong Kong’s flag carrier says it has ‘robust plans in place’ to recruit pilots to support rebuilding plan

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Cathay Pacific recently said it would achieve full capacity by early 2025. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Published: 8:01pm, 7 Dec 2024Updated: 10:24pm, 7 Dec 2024

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has said it remains “very confident” it will return to 100 per cent pre-pandemic capacity by next month with “robust plans in place” for recruitment, but its pilots’ union has expressed doubts.

Cathay Group, just two days ahead of the launch of the city’s long-awaited three-runway system on November 28, said it would achieve full capacity by early 2025 without explaining its methodology.

The group had previously postponed its timeline for the full return to capacity from the end of 2024 to the first quarter of next year.

Asked by the Post the basis of its full-capacity claim, a Cathay spokesman did not reveal the details, only saying: “We are very confident about meeting our recruitment target and have robust plans in place to recruit and onboard pilots to support our rebuild plan.

“As a group we will reach 100 per cent of our pre-pandemic flights from January 2025.”

Group CEO Ronald Lam Siu-por previously said the company reaching full capacity would coincide with the opening of the three-runway system, after which it could focus on the future with regard to contributing to Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub.