Cathay Pacific and HK Express have cancelled some more flights on the Hong Kong-Japan route amid the limitations imposed by the Japanese government.
Both the airline carriers announced that they would axe up to 15 flights each week from February 3 to March 2. They further offered refunds and alternate flights to the affected customers.
Cathay Pacific shared a statement on its website on January 30, writing, “We can only operate 72 flights per week into Japan, which is 12-13 flights per week less than what was originally planned and approved by the regulatory authorities for February 2023.”
For more details about refunds and rescheduling, visit Cathay Pacific’s website.
HK Express also stated that they could only operate 74 flights per week into Japan, which is 15 less than the earlier 89 flights per week allowance. HK Express has cancelled about 60 flights to and from Japan between February 17 to March 2. Visit HK Express’ website to know more about the cancellations.
Japan had imposed new travel restrictions
Japan imposed travel restrictions on passengers from China last month. This happened as infections across the mainland surged after Beijing lifted its zero-COVID policy. These measures affected Hong Kong as well. However, the authorities scrapped the policy just days after.
Retaliating to Japan’s rules, Beijing suspended giving out visas to Japanese visitors on January 10. But the Japanese Embassy in Beijing has now resumed its visa services in China. According to South China Morning Post, transport minister Lam Sai-hung said last week that the government was hopeful about the restrictions being scrapped in the coming month. He added that the airlines would also attempt to increase the operating flights.
The Japanese consulate in Hong Kong clarified that the restrictions on flights from Hong Kong, Macau and the mainland were only to accommodate the country’s quarantine capacity.
(Hero image credit: cathaypacific/ Instagram)
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