Cathay Pacific suspending most long haul routes

Cathay Pacific is temporarily axing a host of long haul routes including all flights to Australasia except Sydney.

It is taking the measure in response to plans to make flight crew quarantine for 14 days after overseas duty outside of China.

It will start suspending routes after the Chinese New Year holidays.

Routes affected include Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Auckland.

It will also halt flights to Frankfurt, Vancouver, San Francisco and Amsterdam.

Within Asia, flights to Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City will be put on hold, but Cathay will still operate services to Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai, Jakarta, Surabaya, Osaka, Tokyo, Manila, Singapore and Bangkok.

Los Angeles, New York and Toronto will continue and Cathay will operate one-way flights from Hong Kong to London.

It estimates it will lose about HK$400 million (US$51 million) in ticket revenue.

Hong Kong said HK based pilots and cabin crew will be required to quarantine in designated hotels on return from overseas duty and must undergoing an extra week of health monitoring.

Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Editor