A worker pushes trolleys as passengers queue up to receive their boarding passes in front of Cathay Pacific check-in counters at the Hong Kong International Airport on Aug 2, 2023. (SHAMIM ASHRAF / CHINA DAILY)
HONG KONG – Cathay Pacific Airways should quickly address the capacity problems behind its recent slew of flight cancellations and minimize any inconvenience to passengers, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday.
Speaking to the media ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, the chief executive said he was very concerned about the cancellations and the flagship carrier’s apparent lack of capacity to cope with service demands.
“Hong Kong has the mission of ensuring the city will be a strong aviation hub in this region, so the whole aviation capacity is important,” said Lee, adding that the secretary for transport and logistics had communicated with the airline’s management.
The government pointed out that the top priority was to reduce any adverse impact on travelers by arranging other flights from Cathay Pacific and, if possible, other airlines, and providing other remedial measures to deal with the inconvenience caused by the cancellations, he said.
ALSO READ: HK transport chief urges Cathay to explain flight cancellations
He said he undestood that because of COVID-19, there were challenges needed to be overcome, and saw great efforts were being made to overcome these challenges, but added that the problems should be tackled "very quickly and very effectively".
Travelers check out the flight schedule at the Hong Kong International Airport on Oct 18, 2023. (GARY CHIU / CHINA DAILY)
“I also understand that this capacity constraint exists in many cities, similar to Hong Kong, but in this competitive world, I want our aviation industry to rebuild its capacity fast so that we will be competitive as a whole. It is the basic service requirement for airlines to provide satisfactory service to passengers,” the CE stressed.
Cathay Pacific needed to review its long-term human resources arrangements and overall operation, said Lee, adding that the authorities will be in contact with people in the aviation industry, particularly Cathay Pacific, to ensure that the capacity would be rebuilt as quickly as possible.
ALSO READ: HK airlines to increase mainland flights as exchanges surge
Measures to boost revenues
Regarding the proposal to impose a departure tax as a rising number of local residents traveled northbound to the Chinese mainland, Lee said the government expected the city to integrate into the national development and play an active role in the growth of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
“The financial secretary is now proactively consulting different sectors (on the 2024-2025 Budget) and we will consider all the suggestions (on how to boost revenue). I personally hope Hong Kong will integrate into the overall development of the country,” said the chief executive.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu speaks to the media ahead of an Executive Council meeting on Jan 9, 2024. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
Over years of efforts to promote the GBA development, the government had seen the results of encouraging integration and movement of people, he added.
Asked whether it was suitable to raise the fees of public services, including the Accident and Emergency service, as one of the measures to tackle the government’s fiscal deficit, Lee said the government had mechanisms to review the charges regularly given the actual circumstances and consider their effects on different sectors.
READ MORE: Hospital Authority activates service demand surge measures
He added that he agreed to conduct a review on how to prevent the services from being abused to improve the quality of the services.
Vibrant events
Lee also said that Hong Kong is set to hold a series of vibrant local and international events over the next few months, including activities organized by district councils, as well as international events in sports, finance and business.
He said the events, to be staged from January to May, will showcase the unique characteristics of each district and attract both local and international participants and stimulate regional economies.
Each district’s activities will have different themes and features, presenting diverse cultures and characteristics. For example, the activities in Sham Shui Po will focus on digital products and neon sabre, an emerging sport, with cosplay as a highlight, while Kowloon City will host activities in April to celebrate the Thai Songkran Festival, featuring Thai cuisine, music and dance performances, and Thai boxing.
Members of Yau Tsim Mong District Council hold their first meeting at the Mong Kok Government Offices on Jan 2, 2024. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
Lee noted that the newly-elected district councils are more diverse and comprehensive with the participation of youth and representatives of different sectors and industries. The new district councilors assumed office on Jan 1.
ALSO READ: Finance chief: More exciting events set for HK in 2024
Lee said the councilors had demonstrated new vibe and outlook in the first week of taking up their roles, and successfully convened the first meetings of the 18 district councils. The district councils have returned to the non-governmental, district-level advisory roles vested under the Basic Law, and successfully depoliticized to focus on down-to-earth local affairs.
Lee hopes that the new DC members will quickly demonstrate their achievements, bring improvements to the local communities, and provide practical actions to benefit residents
Lee hopes that the new DC members will quickly demonstrate their achievements, bring improvements to the local communities, and provide practical actions to benefit residents.
The special administrative region will host more than 40 international events from January to April alone, demonstrating the city’s determination to continue showcasing its charm as an events capital.
Lee highlighted the recently concluded Hong Kong Tennis Open, which was held in the city after a 21-year hiatus. He also previewed the upcoming Hong Kong Marathon this month, with 74,000 participants, fully restoring the event to its pre-pandemic level.
READ MORE: CE: HK to host international events to shore up strength
There’ll also be good news for sports fans, with exhibition matches featuring two world football superstars -- Lionel Messi and David Beckham – next month, as well as the hosting of a series of high-level matches, including the World Football Masters Cup 2024, the Lunar New Year Cup and the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens.
The Asian Financial Forum will also take place on Jan 24 and 25, highlighting the SAR’s advantage as an international financial center.
Lee said the SAR government will continue to promote the hosting of international events to showcase the city’s strengths and attractiveness, boost tourism, explore market development, enhance Hong Kong’s influence and consolidate its status as an international city.
