Hong Kong traffic decline hurts airlines and airport

Hong Kong travel demand has experienced a seismic shock from the civil unrest that has swept the special administrative area. This has had major ramifications for airlines, particularly Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines. Both have experienced a plummet in demand, prompting major capacity cuts that have been extended into 2020.

It is not yet clear what the full financial impact will be for the airlines.

For the Cathay group airlines and Hong Kong Airlines the loss of traffic and revenue hit when they were already in fragile financial condition - particularly so, Hong Kong Airlines - and broader economic concerns are also growing for Asia's airline industry.