Mainland Bans Protesting Cathay Staff From Flights

Beijing's aviation regulator has ordered Cathay Pacific not to allow crew members who have participated in or supported what it calls "illegal protests" and "violent clashes" in Hong Kong to work on flights passing through mainland airspace.

The directive, issued on Friday, is expected to affect flights passing over the mainland, including most journeys to Europe, as well as flights to and from mainland cities.

The Civil Aviation Administration says there's an increased risk to flight security between Hong Kong and the mainland, after a Cathay pilot was charged with rioting but not suspended from duty, and the flight information of a police football team was leaked.

In a statement, the administration also said the identities of flight crew working on flights to the mainland or across Chinese airspace would be vetted, or the flights won't be given the go-ahead.

In response, a Cathay spokesman said: "We have received the directive and are studying it very carefully. We are treating it seriously and are following up accordingly.

“The safety of our passengers is always the top priority of Cathay Pacific. There is zero tolerance to any inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour that may affect aviation safety. We deal with these incidents very seriously.”

Earlier, the nationalistic Global Times newspaper had criticised Cathay Pacific and accused it of sympathising with recent anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong.

A #BoycottCathayPacific thread on Weibo attracted more than 17 million views and 8,000 comments, partly fuelled by articles from the powerful state-run press.

The airline this week announced a return to profitability in the first half of this year. However it warned bookings had fallen amid recent protests.