Exclusive | Cathay Pacific Group: Hong Kong’s Cathay Dragon set for new CEO but flights may be limited to China, sources say
- With speculation rife over Dragon’s future, sources say it will keep going for the foreseeable with senior recruits pending
- But it is envisaged the region-serving carrier may be downscaled to only running flights in China
Cathay Dragon is set to keep flying for the foreseeable future with a new chief executive officer being lined up, sources say, as part of a wider reshuffle of senior management.
And the Post understands Cathay Pacific will bring back a top-tier director role for cargo, the airline’s most valuable income stream amid the collapse in air travel, with personnel announcements expected as early as next week.
The moves mark the first major reshuffle of executives under Cathay Pacific Group’s new leadership of CEO Augustus Tang Kin-wing and chairman Patrick Healy, who took the helm as part of an overhaul of senior management amid the anti-government protests.
The CEO role at Cathay Dragon, however, would be downgraded from director level, giving it less prominence, sources said.
The Dragon brand has been subject to heightened speculation after its parent company Cathay Pacific Group launched a structural change review in response to the long-term impact facing airlines after the coronavirus pandemic. The review could include a reduction of headcount, planes, brands and routes.
However, Reuters earlier reported that a merger of the two main Cathay brands, Pacific and Dragon, faced obstacles from the mainland regulator Civil Aviation Administration of China over the issue of consolidating traffic rights under the Pacific brand, making it potentially beneficial for the group to limit Dragon services to China only.
