London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 14, 2025

Cathay Pacific unveils US$5 bn bailout plan

Cathay Pacific unveils US$5 bn bailout plan

The airline announced a proposal to inject liquidity and keep it afloat with the help of Hong Kong's government
Cathay Pacific announced a HK$39 billion (US$5 billion) government-led bailout plan on Tuesday as it battles a crippling downturn caused by the coronavirus.

Like many airlines hammered by the crisis, the Hong Kong carrier has seen passenger numbers all but evaporate in recent months leaving most of its fleet sitting on the tarmac and the company hemorrhaging cash.

The firm was already under pressure, after taking a hit from the impact of months of sometimes violent protests in Hong Kong last year that saw passenger numbers plunge.

On Tuesday the airline announced a sweeping proposal to inject liquidity and keep it afloat with the help of Hong Kong’s government.

“Cathay Pacific has explored available options and believes that a recapitalization is required to ensure it has sufficient liquidity to weather this current crisis,” Cathay said in a statement to the city’s stock exchange.

The bulk of the new capital will come from new shares issued to Aviation 2020, a company owned by the Hong Kong government, as well as a HK$7.8 billion bridge loan from the government.

Under the proposal, it will raise about HK$11.7 billion in a rights issue on the basis of seven rights shares for every 11 existing shares held, while preference shares for the government would raise HK$19.5 billion and warrants would garner HK$1.95 billion, subject to adjustment.

The South China Morning Post reported that it is the first time Hong Kong’s government has directly injected money into a private company.

Share trading in Cathay Pacific – and its two biggest shareholders Air China and Swire – was suspended in Hong Kong on Tuesday morning ahead of the announcement. They will resume trading on Wednesday, Cathay said.

Swire, a Hong Kong and British conglomerate with colonial-era roots, has a 45% stake in Cathay, while Air China owns 30%.

Hong Kong’s government will hold a news conference on Tuesday afternoon, followed by Cathay.

In its statement, Cathay said it also plans to implement a further round of executive pay cuts and a second voluntary unpaid leave initiative for employees.

Before the pandemic struck Cathay was one of Asia’s largest international airlines and the fifth largest air cargo carrier globally.

The virus has caused a collapse in passengers and while its cargo business has kept going, Cathay has no domestic demand to fall back on, unlike many other big airlines.

It lost $580 million in the first four months of the year.

Cathay also found itself punished by Beijing last year when some of its 33,000 employees expressed support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
×