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Laura Westbrook

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways is back in the spotlight after a woman managed to get onto a plane in Tokyo reportedly without a boarding pass, raising concerns about how such an incident could occur.
Shukor Yusof, founder of aviation advisory firm Endau Analytics, described the security breach as serious and “beyond comprehension” given protocols for airline passengers.
Cathay Pacific said the boarding of the flight on December 28 involved a “case of unauthorised access”.
The Post looks into the incident and what can be learned from it.
Hong Kong’s Cathay told to find out how woman reportedly boarded plane without pass
What happened?
A woman was reportedly able to board Hong Kong-bound flight CX521 without a boarding pass last Thursday at Narita International Airport in Tokyo.
Cabin crew found a female passenger constantly switching seats and she was unable to show her passport and boarding pass, according to press reports.
Cathay said the flight did not take off with the woman on board and that staff called Japanese police, who took her into custody. The flight departed about an hour late.
Hong Kong’s Cathay tackles staff shortages, poor morale as it chases rivals
What are pre-boarding procedures?
Airports have security protocols, while ground staff, security guards and other support crew have clear guidelines.
After checking in for a flight, passengers’ travel documents and boarding passes are typically inspected before they can enter the restricted area where another security check to scan hand luggage takes place.
Documents are also checked at the immigration counter. Passengers are typically advised to arrive at boarding gates at least 30 minutes before their flight is scheduled to depart.

At the boarding gate, ground staff once again check passports and boarding passes before passengers get on the aircraft.
Yusof, the analyst, said ground staff who checked boarding passes at the gate would be Cathay employees.
“Before they scan your boarding pass, they look at your passport and look at you and then they let you through,” he said. “Even if it’s in business class they will do that.”
Yusof added that Cathay was likely to investigate the incident.
“It is down to human error,” he said. “Something like this should never have happened for an airline like Cathay … this would happen to a second- or third-tier airline, you’d expect that, but not with Cathay.”
Any other potential issues?
A Cathay employee told the Post that in the past, cabin crew on a flight would also check boarding passes at the aircraft door but “this procedure has been lifted for months”.
The cabin crew member, who asked to remain anonymous, said ground staff scanned boarding passes at the gate and passengers could then proceed to the aircraft. Technically no further check was needed unless there was an argument between passengers over seats, due to a potential double booking, for example.
“The loophole in my opinion is not checking at the aircraft door any more,” he said.
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific cancels another 28 flights, blaming pilot illness
Yusof said there were at least “two levels of failure here”, with passengers going through two other passport and boarding pass checks before arriving at the gate.
Although huge, Narita is also known to be an efficient airport. For the incident to occur in “Tokyo is another mystery”, he said.
However, Yusof said it was an airline’s responsibility to do the necessary checks at gates for passengers boarding their aircraft.
In Hong Kong, e-boarding gates use facial recognition for passengers aged 11 or above.
What happens now?
Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department told Cathay on Sunday to investigate the incident and submit a report.
Cathay also apologised to passengers for the flight delay and the inconvenience caused by the incident.
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific expects first annual profit in 4 years
Any previous security breaches at Hong Kong’s airport?
Several incidents occurred in 2016 – including one with shades of the Narita case. That April, a woman managed to pass through three security checks without a boarding pass or a passport before being intercepted at a far-flung boarding gate of Hong Kong International Airport.
In two incidents that year, transit passengers flying with Hong Kong Airlines were able to open doors to air bridges in ­restricted areas, which should have been sealed.
In another high-profile incident, then chief executive Leung Chun-ying was accused of pressuring airport staff to deliver his daughter’s bag from a non-restricted area to the closed-off departure zone in April 2016. Both the Airport Authority and Leung denied any security breach.
In 2018, five Singapore Airlines crew entered a restricted zone without security clearance, resulting in a flight to the city state being delayed for nearly three hours.


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Cathay Pacific

‘Beyond comprehension’: woman got onto Cathay Pacific Hong Kong flight in Tokyo reportedly without boarding pass. How did it happen?

A Cathay Pacific aircraft sits on the tarmac at Narita International Airport in Tokyo. The carrier has said there was a “case of unauthorised access” during the boarding of a flight last month. Photo: Shutterstock 

Airlines are responsible for certain checks for passengers boarding aircraft. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific told to investigate how woman managed to get on plane, reportedly without boarding pass

Cathay Pacific planes in Hong Kong. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific cancels another 28 flights, blaming ‘higher than expected pilot absence’ due to seasonal illness

Cathay Pacific Airways has cancelled dozens of flights recently. Photo: Elson Li

Cathay cancelled a number of flights in the run-up to New Year’s Eve. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific vows to avoid repeat of recent flight cancellations, even as many pilots reach hour limit amid staff shortage concerns

Cathay Pacific pilots. Cockpit crew tell the Post that the problem of flight cancellations might persist because of the shortage of experienced staff. Photo: Dickson Lee

A departures board at Hong Kong’s airport. Cathay says a “small number of flights” have been cancelled, after “higher than anticipated pilot absence caused by seasonal illness on certain days in December”. Photo: Dickson Lee

Passengers line up for Cathay flights. The carrier faces increased competition for experienced pilots, analysts say. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Hong Kong

Transport

Woman arrested in Tokyo last week after being unable to present boarding pass on plane bound for Hong Kong at Narita International Airport
Analyst says security breach is ‘beyond comprehension’ in light of protocols for airline passengers


Aviation industry analyst says the security breach is ‘beyond comprehension’ in light of protocols for airline passengers.


Hong Kong aviation

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Provide background, definition and detail of a specific topic, helping the reader understand how something works or what has happened in the past.  (Eg. What is Nafta? US and Mexico are on the verge of revising trade deal.)


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Explainer | ‘Beyond comprehension’: woman got onto Cathay Pacific Hong Kong flight in Tokyo reportedly without boarding pass. How did it happen?

Woman arrested in Tokyo last week after being unable to present boarding pass on plane bound for Hong Kong at Narita International Airport Analyst says security breach is ‘beyond comprehension’ in light of protocols for airline passengers

What happened?

Woman arrested in Tokyo last week after being unable to present boarding pass on plane bound for Hong Kong at Narita International Airport

Analyst says security breach is ‘beyond comprehension’ in light of protocols for airline passengers