The CE of Cathay Pacific Airways has resigned following pressure by Beijing on the Hong Kong carrier over participation by some of its employees in anti-govt protests. Cathay Pacific said Rupert Hogg resigned Friday "to take responsibility" following "recent events." The company chairman, John Slosar, said the airline needed new management because events had "called into question" its commitment to safety and security. Monday, Hogg threatened employees with "disciplinary consequences" if they took part in "illegal protests.' Last week, China's aviation regulator said Cathay Pacific employees who "support or take part in illegal protests, violent actions, or overly radical behavior" are banned from staffing flights to mainland China. <br/>
oneworld
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are blaming the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX for a spike of denied boardings in the first half of 2019, according to the latest US DoT Air Travel Consumer Report. At American, voluntary denied boardings (VDBs) grew by 140% year-over-year to nearly 70,000 in 1H 2019, while involuntary denied boardings (IDBs) multiplied over sixfold to roughly 5,000 from 700 in the year-ago period. The carrier—with 24 MAX aircraft in its fleet and dozens more on order—has removed MAX flying from its schedule through Nov 3. Southwest saw VDBs more than double to 22,400 from 10,400 year-over-year, while IDBs rose 150% to 2,500. Southwest—with 34 grounded MAX aircraft idled since mid-March—has pulled the aircraft from its schedule through the end of the year. <br/>