Cathay Pacific to help Stranded Oasis Passengers

Cathay Pacific has assured the Hong Kong SAR Government that it will do all it can to help passengers stranded as a result of Oasis Hong Kong Airlines cancelling all of its passenger services.

“We sympathise with the many passengers in Hong Kong, London and Vancouver who have been stranded by the Oasis’ decision, and we will do our very best to help them through this difficult and stressful period,” Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Tony Tyler said.

Cathay Pacific is adding two flights to London in the early hours of Friday and Sunday to existing services with priority given to the large number of schoolchildren returning to the United Kingdom at the end of the current school term break this weekend.

A number of seats will also be set aside on these as well as scheduled flights, where possible, to accommodate the returning students.

“We hope our contingency arrangements can accommodate as many as possible of the school children affected, and take people home  who have been stranded by the closure,” Mr. Tyler added.

Special ticketing arrangements have been made to help Oasis customers who had confirmed bookings on the airline over the next two weeks – effective up to and including 23 April 2008.

A special one-way Economy Class fare at HK$2,500 (plus applicable charges) will be offered to eligible Oasis ticket holders on Hong Kong to London, or Hong Kong to Vancouver. The special fare from London to Hong Kong is GBP160 and from Vancouver CAD320.

A hotline has been established and the airline urges Oasis ticket holders to call the number on +852 2747 6181 to ascertain details of Cathay  Pacific’s special ticketing arrangements. The Hong Kong hotline will be open 24 hours until further notice.

“We will be doing our utmost to help people out, but our efforts are complicated by the fact that our own flights are very full at the moment, and remain so for the next few weeks,” Mr. Tyler said.

“Our fleet of aircraft and flight crew are operating at full capacity because of our heavy bookings and this will impact on our ability to help Oasis ticket holders. This is especially so on the very busy London route, although we hope that the availability of seats on our Vancouver services will meet the additional demand.

“We will certainly do everything in our power to co-operate with the HKSAR Government and other carriers to minimise the impact on the travelling public.”

The Oasis case underlines the tough and competitive nature of the international aviation business, particularly at a time of record high fuel prices and global economic uncertainty.

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