Asian airlines slash flights to Hong Kong as unrest escalates

A spokeswoman for Cebu Air’s Cebu Pacific said the budget carrier has cut flights from Cebu and Clark through December and January respectively due to softened demand. She said the airline nevertheless launched its Puerto Princesa-Hong Kong route on Sunday as scheduled.

A Jeju Air spokesman said the low-cost carrier has reduced daily flights from Seoul to Hong Kong to one from two through Dec. 17 due to weak demand. A spokesman for rival Jin Air said the budget airline had suspended Seoul-Hong Kong flights through Dec. 24.

Last week, Hong Kong’s biggest carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, said its business outlook was “challenging and uncertain” and that it has cut capacity and delayed four plane deliveries due to falling demand.

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Major mainland Chinese carriers also reported double-digit declines in demand on so-called regional routes in September and October amid protests in Hong Kong and travel restrictions to Taiwan, monthly traffic reports showed.

Routes Online on Monday said several Chinese carriers, including Air China Ltd, China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd and China Southern Airlines Co Ltd had filed for fresh capacity reductions to Hong Kong since late October.

China Eastern declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. Air China and China Southern did not respond to requests for comment.