Latest news with #Cathay
RTHK
a day ago
- Business
- RTHK
Cathay looks to hire more pilots for 'steady' growth
Cathay looks to hire more pilots for 'steady' growth Cathay's director of flight operations Chris Kempis (centre) says the airline may expand its cadet training programme to recruit trainees from outside the country. Photo: RTHK Hong Kong's flagship carrier on Monday vowed to recruit more pilots to join its workforce, as the first batch of 30 cadets from the mainland finished training and started operating flights. Cathay Pacific had welcomed a total of 60 mainland cadets to its pilot training programme from more than 750 applicants since the scheme's expansion in 2023. The scheme, which also trained a record high of more than 1,100 local cadets, takes aspiring pilots through training in Hong Kong, the United States and Australia. Chris Kempis, the airline's director of flight operations, was hopeful of bringing in more pilots. "The rate of training and the number of cadets we've had since the end of the pandemic has been a record... We want to build a more steady state of growth as we go from 2025 towards 2030," Kempis said. "But the opportunities presented by the strong hub created here in Hong Kong as Hong Kong Airport grows and the three-runway system gains full efficiency give us a real opportunity for growth, and the availability of pilots both from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world will be the mainstay going forward." Kempis also said Cathay might expand the programme to recruit trainees from outside the country, targetting those who are familiar with Hong Kong and those coming from top universities. Among the new pilots is Robert Sun from northern China, who once worked as a mechanic for Cathay in Beijing. "I really enjoyed that big blend pot for different cultures around the world. You get to meet different people from different areas, and you get to learn their culture. I think that's really exciting," Sun said. "Anytime I have any questions, there will be other Hong Kong locals or people living in Hong Kong for a long time, they'll be more than happy to give me advice and help me with whatever issue I have."
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
Open-air jet repair exposes Kathmandu airport's limitations
KATHMANDU: In a rare and rather dramatic sight for many at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the open-air engine replacement of a wide-body aircraft of Hong Kong's flag carrier Cathay Pacific is captivating aviation enthusiasts, airport workers and travelers alike. For nearly two weeks, a Cathay Pacific Airbus A330 bearing the call sign 'Bravo-Lima Bravo Hotel' has been grounded at the TIA. Work of detaching its left engine has been completed in front of Nepal Airlines' maintenance hangar. The massive engine, weighing about 12 tonnes, had to be replaced after an unexpected malfunction during a routine departure to Hong Kong. On the night of July 11, the aircraft, carrying 310 passengers, had completed all pre-flight procedures and was being pushed back from the apron towards the taxiway. As the pilots powered both engines to move towards the runway, the left engine suddenly malfunctioned, forcing the crew to abort the takeoff. 'There was no prior report of engine trouble when the aircraft landed in Kathmandu from Hong Kong earlier that evening. The pilot reported the issue just before entering the runway and sought permission to return the aircraft to the apron,' said a senior air traffic controller at the TIA. Cathay Pacific sources confirmed the failure was entirely unexpected and it had not been flagged during previous servicing. The engineer on board attempted minor repairs but deemed the issue too complex. The captain recorded the engine problem in the aircraft logbook, and the plane was officially declared grounded. The passengers were deboarded and alternative travel arrangements began. With no immediate aircraft available to replace the grounded flight, Cathay Pacific arranged accommodation for passengers at Radisson Hotel in Lazimpat and at Soaltee Hotel in Kalimati. The 12-member crew, who were scheduled to rest at the Hyatt Hotel in Bauddha, also had to stay with passengers in Radisson due to room unavailability. Most of the stranded passengers were flown to Hong Kong over the next two days via scheduled and special ferry flights. On July 13, Cathay Pacific operated a dedicated ferry flight to accommodate remaining travelers. After nearly two weeks, on July 24, Cathay Pacific flew in a spare engine using one of its Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft. The 747-400 is one of only six such cargo planes in Cathay's 179-aircraft fleet and is slightly smaller than the airline's larger 747-800 series. Kathmandu's airport cannot accommodate the newer 747-800 cargo jets due to limited parking space, making the older 747-400 a more feasible option. 'This particular cargo aircraft had been scheduled to transport electronics, garments, pharmaceuticals and machinery to destinations like New York, Milan and Toronto,' said a source familiar with the operation. 'Cathay Pacific rearranged its fleet to divert this aircraft to Kathmandu with the 12-tonne replacement engine on board.' Once delivered, Cathay's technical team began the engine replacement in front of Nepal Airlines' hangar. The removed engine, still considered airworthy, was sent back to Hong Kong on July 25 for maintenance at Cathay's state-of-the-art maintenance facility. The engine, a Rolls-Royce Trent model, is expected to be repaired and returned to service. The incident highlighted significant logistical challenges at Tribhuvan International Airport. The grounded wide-body jet occupied valuable parking space for 14 days, causing congestion and delays for other aircraft. Airport authorities tried to move the aircraft to various remote parking zones, including near the Nepal Oil Corporation depot and the northeastern apron area. However, Cathay Pacific declined these requests, opting instead to pay full parking fees to keep the aircraft on the main apron. 'After Cathay's cargo aircraft arrived carrying the spare engine, their grounded wide-body plane was moved in front of the Nepal Airlines hangar. The Nepal Airlines aircraft previously parked there was shifted to the parking space where the Cathay aircraft had been stationed,' said Hanshraj Pandey, general manager of Kathmandu Airport. Airport authorities did not allow Cathay Pacific to replace the engine at its original parking spot. This episode has stressed the urgent need for an international-standard hangar facility in Nepal for large aircraft maintenance. Due to the absence of such infrastructure, Cathay Pacific could not obtain approval to conduct a full engine overhaul in Kathmandu. Instead, technicians were allowed only to perform the basic installation under open skies—an operation rarely permitted, especially during monsoon. Aviation experts recall a similar incident before the Covid-19 pandemic, when an Etihad Airways aircraft remained grounded for several days after an engine issue. Although there are a few small workshops for foreign Maintenance, Repair and Operations within the seven-decade old Tribhuvan International Airport compound, they are primarily limited to light servicing. Spare parts and essential tools for wide-body aircraft are almost entirely absent in Nepal, leaving airlines with little choice but to fly in parts and equipment when technical emergencies arise. - The Kathmandu Post/ANN
HKFP
5 days ago
- Business
- HKFP
Fraudsters stole Asia Miles and accessed data from 1,000 loyalty accounts, airline Cathay Pacific says
Airline Cathay Pacific has apologised after customer data was breached and frequent flyer miles were stolen from some Asia Miles accounts. Personal particulars and travel details were exposed, though no credit card information was at risk, the flagship carrier said in a Thursday statement. 'Our preliminary investigation suggests that Asia Miles theft by unauthorised parties was the primary motivation, though the misuse of personal data remains a possibility,' the statement said. 'We have identified that approximately 1,000 Cathay accounts, most of which belong to Hong Kong-based members, were impacted by this incident,' the carrier added. Cathay said that it has already been in touch with the majority of affected members, reinstated their lost Asia Miles and restored their accounts. Remaining members are being identified, and their accounts have been temporarily locked for security purposes. Cybersecurity incidents The incident was reported to the authorities, including The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Cathay said. On Monday, Hongkong Post said that a cyberattack on its online shipping portal may have exposed the personal data of senders and recipients. The PCPD, Hong Kong's privacy watchdog, said in November that 70 per cent of Hong Kong companies had experienced some form of cyberattack in the past year. In March, Hong Kong lawmakers passed a law meant to enhance safeguards for the city's key infrastructure systems against cyberattacks, imposing fines of up to HK$5 million for cybersecurity lapses.
RTHK
5 days ago
- Business
- RTHK
Miles stolen, personal info exposed in CX data breach
Miles stolen, personal info exposed in CX data breach Cathay Pacific says data accessed by unauthorised parties include the personal particulars and travel details of its members. File photo: RTHK Hong Kong's flagship carrier has apologised over a data breach that led to frequent flyer miles being stolen and personal information of about 1,000 members exposed. Cathay Pacific on Thursday said it was alerted to "fraudulent activities" on some membership accounts that "led to unauthorised access to personal data and theft of Asia Miles". Data accessed by unauthorised parties included personal particulars and travel details, according to the carrier, but no credit card information was exposed. "Our preliminary investigation suggests that Asia Miles theft by unauthorised parties was the primary motivation, though the misuse of personal data remains a possibility. The unauthorised parties used valid members' credentials, some of which were found to be exposed on the internet, to log in and then fraudulently bypassed the secondary verification process to access Asia Miles in the accounts," it said. "The secondary verification issue has already been rectified and the process further strengthened by Cathay to ensure similar incidents will not happen again." Asia Miles is Cathay's loyalty and frequent-flyer programme that allows members to earn points on flights and hotels, among other things. The airline said most of the 1,000 Cathay accounts affected by the incident belong to Hong Kong-based members. "For the majority of the affected members, we have already been in contact with them, restored their accounts and reinstated their lost Asia Miles. We are now in the process of verifying the identities of the remaining affected members, whose accounts have been temporarily locked for security purposes," it said. Cathay said it has reported the incident to the authorities, including the city's privacy watchdog, and hired an external expert to conduct a comprehensive independent probe.
Bangkok Post
7 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Hong Kong's Cathay says sorry to passengers stuck on Bangkok-bound plane without air con
Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways has apologised to the passengers of a Bangkok-bound flight after a technical issue left them stuck on the plane without air conditioning before they were transferred to another aircraft. Social media users claimed it was not the first such incident to involve the plane this week. The airline did not address the concerns when asked by the South China Moring Post. Cathay Pacific said on Thursday night that flight CX705 was originally scheduled to depart from Hong Kong at 8am (7am Thailand time), but was delayed as a result of a technical issue that occurred during boarding and affected the cabin's air conditioning. According to accounts online, passengers were forced to wait on board the plane for more than one hour without air conditioning before being swapped to another aircraft. Cathay stopped short of saying how long passengers were forced to wait on the plane. "I don't know if it is the air conditioning or the power systems that have issues. They could not even use the PA system," one user said. The Hong Kong Observatory said temperatures in Chek Lap Kok, where the airport is located, were among the highest in the city on Thursday, reaching 35 degrees Celsius. Cathay said it had arranged a replacement aircraft, which departed from Hong Kong airport at 10.48am on the same day. Passengers offered eligible customers and those in need of special assistance access to its lounge, while economy class passengers received meal vouchers, it added. "The safety of our customers and crew guides every decision we make. We sincerely apologise to our affected customers for the inconvenience and appreciate their understanding," the airline said. But Cathay did not address the South China Morning Post 's queries about whether the incident was the third time this week that the same aircraft had experienced technical difficulties. Another Facebook user said flight CX705 was originally supposed to use a Cathay aircraft with the registration B-LAE, adding that the aircraft had already broken down twice this week before Thursday's incident. The social media user said the aircraft was supposed to fly to Urumqi on Monday and Denpasar on Tuesday, but had suffered from mechanical issues.
