Jake'S View | Hong Kong has given Cathay Pacific a special privilege that costs us dearly

Cathay Pacific said it supported the government’s policy of progressive liberalisation.

“Traffic rights are an important asset not to be traded lightly,” an airline spokesman said. “Hong Kong enjoys an important geographical position, and foreign carriers are naturally always interested in trying to secure added advantages.” -- South China Morning Post, City, July 7

For “progressive,” read “slow, very slow,” and of course, Cathay Pacific likes this just fine. It has the upper hand in traffic rights here and it understandably wants to keep it.

But what I do not understand is how a Cathay Pacific spokesman can speak of foreign carriers as if Cathay Pacific itself is not one. These people tend to forget themselves. Let’s set things straight.

Cathay Pacific is not Hong Kong’s airline. Hong Kong does not have an airline. Cathay Pacific is the Swire group’s airline. It’s a 45 per cent owned subsidiary of Swire Pacific, which in turn is a subsidiary of the London-based John Swire & Sons.

It’s also 30 per cent owned by Air China, which is not Hong Kong, under One Country, Two Systems.