Virus rules hit Hong Kong Air Freight

Things went from bad to worse for airfreight shippers and forwarders in Hong Kong, as the territory’s government banned more international routes in response to an increase in Covid-19 cases.

It announced flight bans from eight countries for two weeks, starting on Saturday, affecting all flights from the US, Canada, the UK, France, Australia, the Philippines, Pakistan and India.

And, in a separate announcement, the authorities barred flights from South Korea after three passengers tested positive for the virus on arrival from Seoul.

In less than six weeks, Hong Kong has imposed flight bans on 24 routes. The latest affect the likes of Air Canada, Air India and Philippines AirAsia, but Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific has borne the brunt of these measures.

When the authorities tightened rules and voided quarantine-related exemptions for flight crews late last year, management announced it might be forced to merge passenger and cargo flight schedules, but after further restrictions on 30 December, the airline announced it was suspending all longhaul cargo flights – freighters and passenger aircraft deployed on cargo missions – for seven days.

Director of flight operations Chris Kempis explained that it was impossible to transition overnight to closed loop operations and that management needed time to consider all factors, including hotel availability for quarantined crews.

Cathay has announced the resumption of longhaul freighter flights, but at a seriously throttled-down level.