Cathay Pacific and HK Express to cancel flights amid soaring fuel prices

Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary HK Express have announced flight cancellations for May and June, citing the significant negative impact of soaring aviation fuel prices. The airlines stated that the move to reduce capacity was a difficult last resort and have apologized to customers for the inconvenience.

Cathay Pacific will consolidate its passenger flights from May 16 to June 30, canceling approximately 2 percent of its total scheduled services. The cancellations will primarily affect short-haul regional routes, along with a small number of flights to Australia, South Asia, and South Africa.

Separately, citing the latest situation in the Middle East, the airline will also continue its suspension of passenger flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until June 30.

Similarly, budget carrier HK Express will consolidate its schedule from May 11 to June 30, canceling about 6 percent of its passenger flights.

Both airlines have assured that nearly all affected customers will be rebooked onto alternative flights scheduled to depart within 24 hours of their original travel time. Customers are expected to be notified of their new flight arrangements on or before the upcoming Monday.

In its announcement, Cathay Pacific explained that persistent tensions in the Middle East have caused aviation fuel prices to rise significantly since March and remain at high levels. The airline pointed out that the average global price for aviation fuel reached US$209 per barrel in the week of April 3, a sharp increase from the US$99.40 per barrel recorded in the week of February 27.

The airline stated that over the past month, it had attempted to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs through measures such as adjusting fuel surcharges, but these efforts were insufficient.

The company described the decision to reduce capacity as a carefully considered last resort, made after trying to minimize the impact on customers.