Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon will reduce capacity by 96% across its passenger network in April and May in light of the severe drop in demand due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and multiple government travel restrictions that form part of the global health response plan.

As previously announced, the airlines intend to operate a bare skeleton passenger flight schedule in April and May, though the freighter capacity remains intact. The ability to maintain even this skeleton schedule will depend on whether more travel restrictions are imposed by governments around the world which will further dampen passenger demand.

Cathay Pacific will operate three flights per week to 12 destinations – London (Heathrow), Los Angeles, Vancouver, Tokyo (Narita), Taipei, New Delhi, Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore and Sydney. Cathay Dragon will operate three flights per week to three destinations in Beijing, Shanghai (Pudong), and Kuala Lumpur.

Ronald Lam, chief customer and commercial officer of Cathay Pacific said: “As Hong Kong’s home airlines, it is important that we continue to provide important passenger and cargo connections to and from the Hong Kong hub. We will therefore endeavour to maintain a minimal number of flights to and from key destinations in our network to ensure these vital arteries remain open.”