WorryGor

I know this might be an obvious answer but does anybody notice the business class redemptions (from JFK to HKG) are basically non-existent from now to next year? It's probability an availability issue but the direct CX flights don't even show up on the search in 2024 and there's only BA/Fin Air flights. Is there any chance they are doing system upgrades or just holding back all business awards due to demand?

Cambo

Demand for paid flights is that high, that there is no need to make redemption available. Don't forget, redemption is there to fill seats, which might otherwise stay empty. No empty seats expected, no redemptions needed. Of course, this offsets with the need to not alienate the loyal customers from the brand, though, ehhhh, all airlines do this, so passengers have little choice, other than go for the lowest price / best travel options. Or so to say, the airlines already destroyed the loyalty of their loyalty base.

And for CX, there is the additional issue, that they are really struggling with their schedule, so everything scheduled more than 2 months out, is effectively just a place-holder, with redemption tickets passengers being just the lowest of the lowest priority.

Jack L

YMMV may be q obvious in this case, I have found business flights but from LHR-hkg. If you really wanna fly business with cathay from the US I'd suggest search other cities & then use positioning flights

tauphi

Flights between US and China are severely limited. So people are rerouting via HKG and those people are loaded.

inhaledinsult

It's going to be like this for a long long time - hopefully things will settle down a bit once everyone's gotten their travelling bug out (if that will ever happen).

rushjc

If demand is so high, why are they still not flying 777s again into all of their US destinations? Only LAX has the 777 thus far. My guess is that staffing issues have kept them from ramping up their operation again more quickly. They were kept out of the game for a long time

kalenlolz

the hkg-japan ticket is the most dificult to redeem.

NetJets Germany

Even more annoyingly, I as a DM see no difference in availability to my wife, who is a mere SL. I really had hoped that they would open up a bit more inventory to their highest tier members, but seemingly that’s not the case…

Cambo

Seems to be insufficient pilots for that airplane.

Understandable, since during Covid, it was primarily A359/A351 flying, since those bodies do have significantly lower seat/mile costs. As a result, all experienced B777 pilots (IE captains, trainers and examiners) have moved elsewhere, and it is very difficult and lead-time consuming to replace them. Hong Kong now being transformed by China into an authoritarian lead city state will not help with that either, IE it has become a dangerous place to live for Western people with brains. Just the ones you need to "restart" CX.

Cambo

A one way LHR-HKG redeem might be possible, since the large demand is for departing Hong Kong. Though, do you also want to return to London ? That might be / become a challenge.

oldchinahand

Again the now old chestnut doing the rounds about not enough pilots is frankly rubbish its origin is disenchanted ex Cathay pilots who posted this nonsense on every available website back a year or so.
The airline has again over 3000 pilots and has reemployed many pilots who chose to leave during the pandemic or ex Dragon. It will need more going forward but there is no real shortage of applicants it seems
Many Australian pilots that left HK but had permeant residency have returned under a scheme that allowed them to be reemployed having persumably found that the grass was not so green back home and the tax much higher than than HKs 17% and lower salary's and poorer conditions being offered by local airlines looking for pilots.
I came back from Auckland a couple of weeks back with 5 Cathay pilots commuting back to HK.
According to a senior captain on the 777 that I had a drink with last evening there is no shortage of pilots for the 777 ERs. which are being retrieved from long term storage as again needed.

SLGO

Speaking about pilot shortage, I realised in my recent flights that most of the captain making pax announcement are no longer native English speaking, some even Cantonese speaking (as he did the Cantonese announcement by himself). It may reflect the change in pilot composition to a certain extent.

percysmith

Proof is in the pudding. CX is still consolidating flights.
Feb 2023 ASK is still 40% of Dec 2019 - when will it go back to 100% of Dec 2019?

https://news.cathaypacific.com/catha...-february-2023
https://news.cathaypacific.com/catha...-december-2019

brunos

Last quarter 2019 is not a good reference point. CX had a reduction in capacity compared to 2018.

percysmith

Within 2% Dec 2018 vs Dec 2019 https://news.cathaypacific.com/catha...-december-2018