In Hong Kong, where protesters and protesters have been taking to the streets for weeks against the Beijing-loyal government, the head of the airline Cathay Pacific has surprisingly withdrawn. Rupert Hogg has submitted his resignation, Cathay Pacific announced today in a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He takes over „the responsibility as CEO with a view to the recent events“.
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific is under heavy pressure from China. The Aviation Authority of the People’s Republic had instructed the airline last week not to use participants in the protests in Hong Kong on flights to mainland China or China’s airspace. Hogg then threatened supporters of the protests with dismissal. He emphasized that the business in China is „a core element“: The airline not only flies to and from China, also a large part of the flights to Europe and the US lead through Chinese airspace.
Hogg’s successor, according to the company, will be Augustus Tang, a longtime employee of major shareholder Swire Pacific. The conglomerate is also based in Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific employs around 27,000 people.
