The national carrier of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific, has applauded the city’s move to relax hotel quarantine rules for foreign travelers but has also called for a strategy to eliminate all travel restrictions completely whenever feasible.
“Cathay Pacific welcomes the Hong Kong SAR Government’s announcement today regarding adjustments to the hotel quarantine arrangement for inbound arrivals entering Hong Kong, effective from 12 August,” a spokesperson for Cathay Pacific told AeroTime in an emailed statement.
Cathay added: “We are asking the Government to urgently provide a clear roadmap showing the complete removal of all COVID-related restrictions for aircrew and passengers as soon as is feasible to protect Hong Kong’s international aviation hub status.”
According to John Lee, the mayor of Hong Kong, hotel quarantine would be reduced from seven to three days as of August 8, 2022.
Overseas passengers will be subject to a four-day period of “medical surveillance” at their residence or a hotel in addition to a three-day hotel quarantine. Travelers won’t be permitted to enter establishments like restaurants or gyms during these four days.
Prior to this, new arrivals had to spend three weeks by themselves.
One of the airlines most severely impacted by the stringent COVID-19 travel restrictions in Hong Kong and mainland China is Cathay Pacific.
The airline carried more than 150,000 passengers in June 2022, up 269.2 percent from the previous month but down 95.2% from pre-pandemic levels in June 2019.
