Cathay Pacific to suspend Pakistan flights
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KARACHI: Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific is to suspend flights to and from Pakistan, officials said Tuesday, following last week's brazen attack on Karachi airport which left 38 people dead including the 10 attackers.
“The airline is ceasing its operations in Pakistan for an indefinite time for both security and economic reasons,” Sohail Younas, Pakistan sales manager for Cathay Pacific, told AFP.
On Monday Taliban militants warned international firms and airlines to wind up their business in Pakistan or face attacks in the wake of a Pakistani military offensive launched the day before.
A spokeswoman in Hong Kong, where the airline is headquartered, added: “Because of commercial reasons, we have decided that the last flight leaving Hong Kong to Karachi will depart on June 28.“
Cathay said in a statement on its website it would operate 14 more flights to and from Karachi before operations cease.
“This is to avoid disruptions for the hundreds of passengers who will be travelling prior to the holy month of Ramazan,” it said.
The last flights from Karachi to Bangkok and vice versa would depart on June 29, it said.
The company has moreover advised customers to check the airline's website for updates and developments.
Younas said the company would continue to evaluate the situation in Pakistan for future operations.
Cathay Pacific currently operates four flights a week from Karachi to international destinations.
It is the latest international carrier to cease operations inside the militancy-racked country after British Airways pulled out in 2008 following an attack on a luxury hotel in Islamabad.
The all-night siege of Karachi airport that began on June 8 was the latest in a series of high-profile attacks on key installations claimed by the Taliban in recent years, including an assault on a naval base in 2011 and on the military's headquarters in 2009.
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Comments (62) Closed
Jun 17, 2014 01:38pm
Yes Yes Yes ,,, when r others suspending ?
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Jun 17, 2014 01:39pm
Another airline stops coming to Pakistan. Self inflicted isolation of Pakistan continues. We however, continue to be arrogant despite the fact that we have nothing to be arrogant about. Decline of economy, education, health and security situation is nothing to be worried about. A little bit worse than before is how we view every situation and do nothing about it. We all know where it is taking us!.
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Jun 17, 2014 01:42pm
Now we have handful of gulf airlines, to connect us to the rest of the planet earth. Very soon our PM will make our place alien to the rest of the world and any news of Pakistan will create hifi/wifi for the rest of the world, as if they got some glimses of mars or jupiter.
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Jun 17, 2014 01:48pm
@JQ - are you happy about this?
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Jun 17, 2014 01:49pm
Sad news Indeed !!! what we've done to our beloved homeland .. My Pakistan we are sorry for Bad deeds , so sorry
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Jun 17, 2014 01:52pm
Wow, look what we got supporting Taliban? If we keep supporting Taliban, we will end up dead meat in our own country. Now people who were planning to use Cathay Airline will have to suffer or find alternate. But question is: what alternate we have??? So sad.
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Jun 17, 2014 02:02pm
looks like even 'emirates' very soon will suspend its flight from pakistan and other gulf countries as well. can we rely on our airline PIA to take this burden?
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Jun 17, 2014 02:12pm
It is not security reason. Only economic reason. Should not politicize the airlines operations. Many Airlines are still operating through Karachi Airport.
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Jun 17, 2014 02:20pm
@Safdar JQ is probably from the other side of Wagha border.
My friend flying is due to fly on 21-June Karachi bound Cathy Pacific.. I dont know what would happen to his return ticket back to Australia. It was the most economic flight to Pakistan.
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Jun 17, 2014 02:30pm
Insha Allah Pakistan will rise soon but first we have to change individually. Allama Iqbal (RA) said
Tunde mukhalif se na ghabra ae Uqaab
Ye tau chalti hai tujhe ooncha urane ke liye
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Jun 17, 2014 02:53pm
@Safdar ! when our great Politicians of Sindh avoid to take responsibilities of incident that happen and have no humanity or felt shameful when the life of peoples lost then I am very happy that every airline should suspend their service to Pakistan because they are safe guarding their assets and peoples to die in Pakistan.
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Jun 17, 2014 03:00pm
@Khurram : He was Allama Iqbal but how we are going to change our politicians or its vice versa like politicians as individuals or Individuals like politicians .. We have to change our great politicians otherwise Hamza Sharif or Bilawal Zrdari ops Bilawal bhutto is coming next.
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Jun 17, 2014 03:02pm
Going back to Olden time -- Train the Horses to ferry the passengers !!!
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Jun 17, 2014 03:23pm
@Safdar He was Allama Iqbal but how we are going to change our politicians or its vice versa like politicians as individuals or Individuals like politicians .. We have to change our great politicians otherwise Hamza Sharif or Bilawal Zrdari ops Bilawal bhutto is coming next.
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Jun 17, 2014 03:39pm
Why would Cathay Pacific (Chinese owned) Airlines do this to Pakistan ? I thought the mutual great friendship was "higher than the mountains and deeper than the seas" ?
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Jun 17, 2014 03:52pm
@Sanjeev Kumar Disgraceful comments reflect your personality.
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Jun 17, 2014 04:08pm
Very sad news....
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Jun 17, 2014 04:10pm
I am wondering who provides funds to the terrorists in Pakistan? Can some one provide an answer?
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Jun 17, 2014 04:12pm
Can you blame Cathay Pacific?
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Jun 17, 2014 04:47pm
So this means that PIA will get more bookings from people in Pakistan :D
Nice eid-gift from the taliban to Pak; improved business for Pakbased airlines :D
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Jun 17, 2014 04:49pm
....and the country continues its spiral down into isolation. The world probably has justified in its mind to take ANY action against Pakistan.....
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Jun 17, 2014 05:06pm
But isn't this good for PIA?? I mean both Air India and PIA should operate more and efficient flights out of there home countries that will help them to earn much needed revenues.
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Jun 17, 2014 05:19pm
@colin U obviously don't know much about China do u? Hong Kong although is a part of China but has significant autonomy in many of its internal and external matters. Hence Cathay is not owned by China. On the other hand Air China keeps on operating to Karachi along with China Southern Airlines which operates to Islamabad. If China had issues with Pakistan, these two airlines too would have suspended their operations too but this has not happened. So please stop worrying about Pak China Relationship, the same is still "taller than mountains and deeper than seas".
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Jun 17, 2014 05:23pm
Half of the flight was empty in any case. That is why CP says the decision is security based as well as business based.
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Jun 17, 2014 05:23pm
Well done, Pakistan! I hope other international airlines follow suit. A free lesson in common sense, perhaps?
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Jun 17, 2014 05:33pm
Reference my earlier comment, please add the word : airport before the words : security apparatus so as to read as : airport security apparatus --------- thanks!
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Jun 17, 2014 05:57pm
we are doomed for such sad news, may Allah have pity on Pakistani people because our government will not.
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Jun 17, 2014 06:06pm
I dont understand why our people cant see the world outside their fairy world. the most interesting thing is that as we say in urdu 'saawan k andhai kou hara hara soojhta hai', these people do not even qualify for that, these people have never had that experience either and they still think of their golden days or things like tund i baad e mukhalif..... For facing that too one has to have the ability to fly, apaahij hi sahi parr tou hounai chahiyai...hamain tou woh bhi mayassar nahi magar baatain pata nahi kis dunya ki krtai hain? from where are we going to rise? apparently we are going to rise soon from graveyards ..
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Jun 17, 2014 06:16pm
@event horizon
i am a frequent flyer on this route and let me tell you their planes are almost full if not totally full on most of their flights. Economic reasons only apply to insurance of air crafts in case of an emergency and not due to seat occupation.
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Jun 17, 2014 06:18pm
@Mateen well said brother.
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Jun 17, 2014 06:20pm
@Vinay RAW!
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Jun 17, 2014 06:21pm
Another victim of strategic depth.
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Jun 17, 2014 06:27pm
@Farhan Quraishi "But question is: what alternate we have???"
PIA
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Jun 17, 2014 06:28pm
This is what happens when the media gives too much space to TTP spokespeople whose only purpose is to spread fear - the rest of the world starts buying into these backward mullahs' rhetoric, i.e. to isolate Pakistan from the rest of the world (why do you think they specifically warned multinationals operating in Pakistan? To destroy our economy)
TTP are ravaged by infighting among themselves and a full-scale military operation in NWA - now they're using the media to gain the upper edge, and here are the results.
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Jun 17, 2014 06:28pm
In a normal country new airline companies would come up to pick up the slack. Where there's a demand, supply is bound to follow. Alas, everyday earthly laws rarely apply in Pakistan.
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Jun 17, 2014 06:30pm
I worked at Karachi Airport in early eighties B4 leaving Pakistan for good & have been working at Vancouver airport in Canada now. In those days we saw aircraft from British airways, PanAm, Swiss air, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, SAS, & many other airlines, lined up at Karachi airport. In my recent e-mail to a CAA official, I had mentioned about the pathetic security systems at Pakistani airports that I witnessed during my recent visit to Pakistan, people going in & out of so-called secured areas, without any uniform, with no searches, or even without displaying any staff ID cards or just displaying half of their ID cards & rest hidden under their shirts, it was a joke.
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Jun 17, 2014 06:34pm
It shall have no impact, though, a very flashing news but this is not the end of the world..
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Jun 17, 2014 06:39pm
Ouch!
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Jun 17, 2014 07:12pm
so much for china and pakistan friendship.
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Jun 17, 2014 07:14pm
Unfortunately PIA is also not in a position to take the place.
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Jun 17, 2014 07:26pm
Now be prepared to pay extra when you buy the ticket. No Competition means very expensive airfares.
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Jun 17, 2014 07:38pm
Do you Pakistanis realize one thing: Not a single comment here suggests that support to all terrorists should stop , NOT JUST Talibaan! This is going to be Pakistan's downfall.
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Jun 17, 2014 08:00pm
Future for Pakistani travelers, fly pia( if lucky ) to Dubai, get polio shot and get on another airline for onward travel.
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Jun 17, 2014 08:27pm
Really sad news indeed...I loved the way Cathay Pacific took care of it's passengers...the news is that people who had booked their flights after 29th June, CP will make alternative arrangements. I really wish PIA to expand now as PIA would be getting lots of money now. I don't mind traveling on PIA but PIA should have more routes. Once stability is achieved in Pakistan, through this operation, controlling borders with India and Afghanistan, the airlines might resume their flights.
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Jun 17, 2014 08:29pm
@Khurram
We are only good in repeating what someone said a 100 years ago or more and have done absolutely nothing to make our Pakistan better. That is the reason we are where we are.
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Jun 17, 2014 08:39pm
@M.M.Sherazi
You seem to have no idea what this really means. Another airline refusing to come to Pakistan means terrible consequences. Are you for real?.This very attitude has made Pakistan what it has become. Wake up and get out of the well you have been living in.
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Jun 17, 2014 08:58pm
now bring on the investments...
lolzz
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Jun 17, 2014 10:06pm
A country and people always feel proud for nothing.
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Jun 17, 2014 10:30pm
If PIA steps their game up, they can fill the vacuum left by the retreating airline(s).
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Jun 18, 2014 12:27am
If only the airport operation lasted for few more days.....
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Jun 18, 2014 01:14am
@Mohammad Iqbal - Eventually that's going to happen, unless strong anti-terrorism actions are taken NOW !!!
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Jun 18, 2014 04:04am
Economics is not the reason, its the threat by talibans influencing the decision. Threats are always their whether on ground or on Air. Isn't Bangkoks curfew disrupting the economics of cathay route and not to name a couple more.
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Jun 18, 2014 07:03am
Now we are going to fly Pakistan Inshallah Airline.
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Jun 18, 2014 01:53pm
Really this is sad news all these peoples they mostly used Cathay Pacfic airline for far east asia , Australia and america this is one is the best airliner they connected from Pakistan but now airline dissed to closed his business from Pakistan what we can do now i am the frequent flyer from this airline but i hope this discussion not long time in feature again start back his services.
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Jun 18, 2014 03:32pm
OMG - there go all my airline miles down the drain!!!!
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Jun 18, 2014 09:57pm
Giving in to terrorists is not a correct response. The fact our military acted fast and significantly brought things under control in a very short period of time, with minimum casualties should prove to the world that we know how to handle such threats. This kind of attack could happen anywhere in the world and are we to believe that these major airlines will cease their operations, where ever the airports are attacked? I believe it was more an economic decision then safety of it's passengers or airplanes!
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Jun 18, 2014 11:37pm
@colin
Cathay Pacific is not exactly a Chinese airline. It is based in Hongkong, which is politically a distinct entity than the all weather friend China.
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Jun 19, 2014 08:22am
Not shocked by the pullout but rather their operation in Pakistan which had lasted for so long.
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Jun 19, 2014 01:49pm
@independentthinker I think you thunk a little TOO independently. Try again.
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Jun 19, 2014 06:31pm
@banhed
This is airline business not taxi service.
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Jun 20, 2014 01:14am
Pathetic! It is sad to see Pakistan's reputation brought so low by a few terrorists. Lets hope these pests are soon eliminated and Pakistan takes it honorable place once more in the league of nations.
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Jun 20, 2014 02:56am
@Khurram The verse you quoted "Tundi-e-baad-emukhalif...udanay ke liye" is not written by Iqbal. It has been written by Sayyed Sadiq Hussain Shah.
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