Cathay apologises over 54-hour delay to flight going from Toronto to Hong Kong

Flight was diverted to Iceland so passenger could receive urgent medical help, and returned to Toronto due to crew flying hour limits

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Cathay said it had arranged hotel accommodation, meals and transport for the passengers in Toronto who were affected by the delay. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Published: 10:53pm, 3 Jan 2025Updated: 11:31pm, 3 Jan 2025

Cathay Pacific Airways has apologised after a flight from Canada bound for Hong Kong was forced to divert to Iceland when a passenger became ill and then flew back to Toronto for a crew change, causing a more than two-day delay.

The airline said on Friday that flight CX829 was diverted to Keflavik International Airport after departing Toronto for Hong Kong so a passenger could receive urgent medical help.

After refuelling, the flight returned to Toronto to comply with crew member flying hour restrictions, it said.

“[The] captain of the flight made the decision in order to observe the statutory requirements on crew operation and rest hours set by the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, as the remaining crew hours [would] not allow the flight to make it to Hong Kong,” the spokesman said.

Cathay said it arranged hotel accommodation, meals and transport for the passengers in Toronto. Their flight was scheduled to depart with a new crew at 3.30pm (Eastern standard time) on Friday.

The flight was expected to take more than 15 hours, meaning the affected passengers would land in Hong Kong 54 hours later than originally scheduled.