Hong Kong Airlines faces more uncertainty as chairman challenges his removal

Hong Kong Airlines, partially owned by China's HNA Group, was thrown into deeper uncertainty Wednesday after Hou Wei disputed a decision that removed him as chairman and said he was still in charge of the struggling carrier. Former Hong Kong Airlines director Zhong Guosong announced Tuesday he had been appointed chairman after a shareholder meeting where he and Chinese private equity firm Frontier Investment Partner, who together control about 61% of the shares, voted in additional board members, including Zhong as chairman. Referring to himself as chairman of the airline, Hou Wednesday challenged the decision to remove him. In an internal letter sent to employees, Hou said the board changes were a result of a shareholder dispute and would not have any impact on the company's operations. <br/>