Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific and HK Express cut some flights as jet fuel prices rise

The airline said on Saturday that about 2 per cent of its total flight frequencies would be cut between May 16 and June 30, mainly on regional routes, as well as a small number of services to Australia, South Asia and South Africa.Cathay Pacific’s budget arm, HK Express, will also cancel about 6 per cent of flights from May 11 to June 30.The company said cutting capacity had always been its “last resort”, but it had to consolidate passenger flights “to mitigate part of the increased costs”.“All affected customers will be offered protection onto flights departing within 24 hours of their originally scheduled flights,” an airline spokesman said, adding they would be notified of new arrangements by April 13.“The ongoing volatile situation in the Middle East continues to negatively impact the price of jet fuel … This is placing huge cost pressure on airlines around the world.”