Saturday, January 24, 2004
Cathay Pacific in talks to hire 500 new cabin crew workers
HONG KONG (AP) - Cathay Pacific Airways is recruiting 500 new cabin crew staff to handle additional flights as the airline eyes the expansion of its fleet, a spokeswoman said Saturday.
Cathay, which currently employs a cabin crew of about 5,700, will hire an extra 400 Hong Kong-based flight attendants and 100 to be based in London, said Cathay spokeswoman Maria Yu. Yu said Cathay plans to expand its 85-aircraft fleet, and is currently negotiating with Boeing Co. and Airbus to buy new passenger jets. She declined to give details. Without citing sources, local newspapers reported that Cathay was planning to order from Boeing and Airbus nine new wide-bodied jets worth between US$1 billion to US$1.5 billion. Cathay - the territory's leading air carrier - was battered in 2003 by an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, which killed 299 people in Hong Kong. Passenger traffic has quickly rebounded, however, since SARS subsided in June. Yu said Cathay is hoping to increase its three weekly flights to Beijing to daily service, and to begin flights between Hong Kong and Shanghai. The carrier resumed flights to the Chinese capital city last month after a 13-year break. Yu said the Hong Kong and Chinese governments will discuss giving Cathay permission to operate more flights to the mainland next month. Although Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty six years ago, flights to the mainland operate under an aviation agreement similar to those between separate countries. - APFor more foreign business news click here
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