Cathay Pacific controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
Back to profile7 entries
2023
Cabin-crew discrimination controversy
Cathay Pacific faced public criticism after passengers alleged discriminatory treatment by cabin crew. The airline issued an apology and said it would investigate and take corrective action.
2022
Cathay Pacific criticized over COVID-19 surge
Public backlash
Cathay Pacific faced criticism from lawmakers in a Legislative Council meeting over allegations that the airline contributed to Hong Kong's COVID-19 surge after two crew members flouted self-isolation rules. The article also reports that the airline chairman apologized for disruption and anguish caused by the outbreak.
Company response
Apology — Cathay Pacific
In a video to staff on Tuesday reviewed by Reuters, Healy apologised for the "disruption and anguish" caused by the current outbreak
Source excerpt
Cathay Pacific has come under fire again, this time in the first Legislative Council (LegCo) meeting of the year on Wednesday (Jan 12) with some lawmakers criticising the government and the city's flagship carrier for contributing to the current surge in Covid-19 cases.
Two crew members had flouted self-isolation rules and this led to a number of clusters in the city.
In a video to staff on Tuesday reviewed by Reuters, Healy apologised for the "disruption and anguish" caused by the current outbreak
2020
Cathay Pacific Faces Criticism Over Employment Commitments
Public backlash
Cathay Pacific faced criticism after its executives avoided answering whether the airline might make job cuts after August, despite receiving government employment subsidies. A university lecturer and aviation labor representatives criticized the support and urged the airline to protect employment. The source report does not establish that layoffs occurred.
Source excerpt
國泰昨日舉行特別股東大會，惟高層會上對8月後會否裁員一事避而不答。
陳指，國泰能否走出財困仍是未知之數，多個研究顯示，航空界仍會處於寒冬期最少1年，或有多間公司倒閉，明言對國泰前景感到不樂觀。
她又指，港府的保就業計劃協助企業渡過難關，同時應確保企業獲得資助後有履行社會責任。
2020
Cathay Pacific contract dispute
Issue disclosure
On October 26, 2020, the Cathay Pacific flight attendants' union held an emergency meeting and decided to demand that management extend the deadline for signing new contracts. The contracts were reported to involve substantial salary reductions, and the union said some details were unclear. The union's decision followed reports about the terms of the new contracts, which the union stated it did not fully understand. The event concerned the signing deadline for the new contracts and the union's request for more time.
On October 26, the Cathay Pacific flight attendants’ union held an emergency meeting and decided to demand that management extend the deadline for signing new contracts. The contracts were reported to involve substantial salary reductions, and the union said some details were unclear.
Source excerpt
香港国泰航空日前宣布全球裁员8,500人，其中包括5,300名驻港员工，其余员工被迫于11月4日前签署新合约，合约内容涉及大幅减少薪资。
2020
Dragonair employees criticize shutdown and layoffs
Public backlash
Dragonair employees publicly criticized the airline's shutdown and layoffs. A pregnant flight attendant described the company as lacking compassion, while another employee said employees had been abandoned. The article reports that Cathay Pacific had announced the shutdown of Dragonair and layoffs affecting 5,300 local employees.
Source excerpt
有懷孕4個月、任職10多年的港龍空中服務員今（22日）表示，近大半年僅獲底薪，生活壓力大增
國泰航空昨宣布，停運國泰港龍航空，並大幅裁員5300名本地員工
2020
UK watchdog fines Cathay Pacific over data-security lapses
Fine or penalty
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office fined Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. £500,000 for failing to protect customer data. The ICO said security lapses led to customers’ personal details being exposed, including data belonging to 111,578 people in the UK and approximately 9.4 million more worldwide.
Company response
Apology — Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific said in an emailed statement said it regrets the incident
Remediation — Cathay Pacific
has spent “substantial amounts” on IT infrastructure and security over the past three years.
Source excerpt
Cathay Pacific said in an emailed statement said it regrets the incident and has spent “substantial amounts” on IT infrastructure and security over the past three years.
Between October 2014 and May 2018, Cathay Pacific’s computer systems “lacked appropriate security measures which led to customers’ personal details being exposed, 111,578 of whom were from the U.K., and approximately 9.4 million more worldwide,” the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office said in a statement on its website on Wednesday.
Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. was fined 500,000 pounds ($639,000) by the U.K.’s privacy watchdog for failing to protect customers’ data due to security lapses lasting nearly four years.
2001
The 49ers pilot dispute
A labour dispute over pilot pay, rostering and employment conditions led to the dismissal of 49 pilots after industrial action. Subsequent litigation produced mixed outcomes, including findings concerning employment-law breaches and defamation claims.