Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific Airways plans to cut passenger flight capacity by 1.4% next year, reversing an earlier plan for a boost of 3.1% because of a challenging business outlook, an internal memo reviewed by Reuters showed. The capacity reduction follows Cathay Pacific cutting its second-half profit guidance earlier this month, the second cutback in less than a month, because of anti-government protests that began in Hong Kong in June that have discouraged travel to the city. “Given the immediate commercial challenges and the fact that our position has deteriorated in recent weeks, we must take swift action to adjust our budget operating plan for 2020 downwards again,” CE Augustus Tang said. “Put another way, rather than growing our airlines in 2020, for the first time in a long time, our airlines will reduce in size.” Revenue performance continues to be disappointing and advance bookings into 2020 remain much lower than expected due to weak traffic from some of its key markets, particularly mainland China, the memo said.<br/>
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An American Airlines flight landed with an extra passenger. On Wednesday, Nereida Araujo gave birth to a healthy baby girl on the jetway of Flight 868, after the plane landed in Charlotte, North Carolina from Tampa, Florida during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. The uncommon birthplace inspired the newborn's fitting moniker: Lizyana Sky Taylor. "Baby Sky decided to enter the world on a plane," Araujo wrote on Facebook. "Mommi (sic) handled it well thanks to everybody who assisted us with love & care." An American Airlines spokespersonsaid that the airline "requested medical personnel due to a passenger who needed assistance" upon landing in Charlotte. "Paramedics, along with the Charlotte Fire Department, assisted in the delivery of a healthy baby girl at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport on the jetway," said a spokesperson for Mecklenburg EMS Agency. Nelson added, "We are happy (and thankful of course!!) to be a part of this family's story."<br/>