Asian Airlines Cancel Flights

Manila Bulletin
October 30, 2012 Tuesday


HONG KONG- Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region are cancelling flights to New York, after US airlines canceled almost 8,000 flights ahead of Hurricane Sandy's expected landfall on the East Coast of the US.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. said in a statement Monday it has decided to cancel a total of eight direct flights between Hong Kong and New York on Monday and Tuesday due to the closure of public transit systems in New York as authorities warned of heavy rains, high winds and flooding when the Category 1 hurricane reaches land late Monday or early Tuesday.

Four flights between Hong kong and New York with a stopover in Vancouver will only operate between Hong Kong and Vancouver on Monday and Tuesday, the Hong Kong based carrier said in a statement.

"It is possible that we may face further disruption," a Cathay Pacific spokesman said.

Singapore Airlines also said Monday that it cancelled all of its flights to Northeastern US Monday and Tuesday.

Japanese and Korean airlines also cancelled services to New York Monday.

A Japan Airlines Corp. spokesman said a flight from Tokyo's Narita Airport that was scheduled to depart at 0210 GMT Monday for New York was cancelled.

The Japanese carrier will delay a Tokyo-New york flight to Wednesday from Tuesday, while All Nippon Airways Co. cancelled four flights between Tokyo and New York Monday.

Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. said flights to the eastern coast of the US Monday will be delayed by as much as 26 hours.

Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd., which operates flights to New York via Loas Angeles, will only operate between Australia and Los Angeles on Monday, a spokeswoman said.

"At the moment we're cancelling the Monday service and then monitoring the situation to see of there's any further impact," the spokeswoman said.

Hundreds of thousands of New York City are residents were ordered to leave their homes Sunday ahead of Hurricane Sandy, a dangerous storm that forced the closure of the nation's largest mass transit system and up-ended daily life for millions.

With Hurricane Sandy looming, US airlines suspended operations at airports from Washington to Boston. Carriers canceled 1,270 flights scheduled for Sunday, according to FlightAware.com, a flight-tracking website. As of Sunday night, airlines also canceled 5,900 flights scheduled for Monday and almost 800 flights Tuesday. FlightAware said it expects airlines to cancel more flights scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Many travellers will have to wait until Wednesday to fly.

Airlines usually waive penalty fees for changing reservations due to disruptions cause by inclement weather.