Jeremy Tam Severs Cathay Ties To Spare The Airline

Civic Party lawmaker and pilot Jeremy Tam said on Tuesday that he's resigned from Cathay Pacific, in the hope of sparing the airline from being further targeted by what he called "white terror".

The flagship carrier is embroiled in controversy after mainland authorities asked it to clamp down on employees supporting the anti-extradition protests.

Cathay has come under intense pressure from Beijing, after some of the airline's staff supported the anti-government protests that have wracked the SAR for more than two months.

Over the past fortnight, the airline sacked two pilots for being involved in the protests, and also two ground staff, and on Friday the airline’s chief executive, Rupert Hogg, and one of his key deputies, Paul Loo Kar-pui, quit.

Tam, who's worked at the airline for 18 years, says Cathay has faced malicious attacks over the past week, and hoped his departure would prevent more staff having to quit.

He said compared with people who lost their lives or whose sight was damaged in protests, losing his job was insignificant.

Tam stopped regular flights after being elected to Legco in 2016 but remained on staff at the airline in a consultancy role.