Who in their right mind is going to do a CRK MNL transit?

Maybe when the NSCR is operational.

Like many posts in this thread, I assume the CRK MNL transit talk is intentional nonsense.

You are absolutely correct 'peasant ' - the LSG contract extended through to end 2025...

Clark airport does not rely on paxs from Manila much at all for flights to/from HKG.
It has a huge densely populated catchment area.
Previously the ex Clark flights were always full - will be again and more so when the Manila rail link opens.

What’s the probability of CRK being operated by CX instead of UO?

As it was originally operated by KA, there seems to be less chance.

Seems that CRK-HKG is really going to be run by HK Express:
https://www.hkexpress.com/en-hk/see/...-guides/clark/

in addition to Clark, I just received an email from HK express announcing their launch to Sanya, China

Now HK Express operates to 25 destinations. Previously their CEO said they would like to expand this number to 30 by the end of this year, so there are 5 to go.

Adelaide and Cairns are still down the list, they are regularly being re-evaluated but CX says they are also in competition with other markets (new destinations, as well as increased frequency on already-established routes) for the same 'limited resources' of aircraft.

bookabke for June already.

I think it’s a bummer if I cannot book a connecting flight for UO to CX when flying from CRK. I will need to make a separate booking for the CX flight which will originate from HKG and the fares will be more expensive for ex-HKG flights.

Very possible I would say -Cathay used to re-train and test pilots at that air airport and now that they are training many of the cadet intake closer to home base I believe that it is possible once more.

Wouldn't it be easier for them to simply add CX flight numbers to those flights?

Right now there is a ton of Capacity from Mainland China to Moscow, on the Moscow Beijing route alone there are 4 daily flights operated by four different Chinese carriers. MU is also flying twice daily from Moscow to Shanghai, , plus 3 weekly resuming to Xian. CZ also daily from CAN to SVO and plus 3 times a week from SZN and Urumqi resuming. Plus flights from Beijing Capital, Sichuan airlines to SVO. Also MU, 3U and HU are flying to Saint Petersburg. CX is really the missing piece of the puzzle there.

Cathay is fundamentally a British owned and controlled airline. They will not be flying to Moscow any time soon

why is that a problem?. Plenty of airlines around the world are flying to Moscow and western countries at the same time.