Cathay to fly just once every 14 days when US, U.K. ban lifts

Traveling to Hong Kong isn’t set to get much easier once a ban on flights from nine countries including the U.S. and the U.K. is lifted, with Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. planning just one inbound flight every two weeks. 

The airline said it isn’t able to expand its schedule any more than what it was planning due to “the possibility” of falling afoul of the city’s 14-day ban on airlines that carry too many passengers found to be infected with Covid. 

Cathay said it was trying to avoid unplanned disruptions that would impact quarantine hotel bookings and other travel arrangements.

Airlines can be banned if four or more passengers from the same airport of origin test positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Hong Kong within a seven-day period. Similarly, three or more cases on the same flight, or one confirmed case and another non-compliant case on the same plane also triggers the ban.

Hong Kong on Monday lifted a ban on flights from nine countries also including Australia, Canada and France, and halved hotel quarantine for inbound travelers to seven days from two weeks. Both changes take effect April 1.