Cathay Pacific Friday operated the very first commercial flight to land at the new Third Runway of the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). The landing of flight CX3251 from Shanghai (Pudong), operated by our Boeing 747-400F freighter, at 08:27 local time on 8 July 2022 was conducted as part of the operation familiarisation on the Third Runway. This allows stakeholders from the aviation community to become familiar with the related operating procedures and collaborative arrangements. CEO Augustus Tang said: “We are delighted to be the first airline to operate a commercial flight using the new Third Runway, and for that flight to be operated by the ‘Queen of the Skies’, one of our 747 freighters. Our freighter fleet has played a pivotal role in keeping essential supplies, notably vaccines and testing kits, moving between Hong Kong and the rest of the world throughout the pandemic. I would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Airport Authority Hong Kong, Civil Aviation Department and all other stakeholders involved in the operation familiarisation for their assistance and support. The commencement of the Third Runway is a milestone achievement for the Hong Kong international aviation hub that will greatly enhance its capacity and capability for handling passenger and cargo flights. As an aviation hub, Hong Kong has a critical role to play in the country’s development, as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan. The growth potential afforded by the commencement of the Three-Runway System at HKIA, together with the opportunities presented by the Greater Bay Area, will ensure that Cathay Pacific and our home hub will remain competitive for many years to come.”<br/>
oneworld
As many as one in 10 pieces of luggage on average are either getting lost or not being loaded onto Qantas domestic flights each day at Sydney airport, according to a baggage handler who works for the company that the carrier outsourced jobs to. Guardian Australia can separately reveal that Swissport – one of the main companies Qantas has outsourced to supply baggage handling services – has itself been forced to contract two separate labour hire firms to find workers for shifts that Qantas has contracted it to fill. Amid widespread staff shortages across ground handling and aviation businesses as the beleaguered sector struggles to cope with a return to pre-pandemic travel demand, attrition rates are soaring among new employees scarred by chaotic scenes and poor conditions – with Swissport now offering a $50 a day bonus to baggage handlers at Sydney airport simply for turning up to their shifts for the rest of the year. While global and local carriers have long relied on third-party contractors to fulfil ground handling services away from their hubs, Qantas and its budget carrier Jetstar’s dominance in Australia have meant the recent surge in lost luggage, and its emergence as the airline with the worst on-time performance and cancellation rates in May, have been significant contributors to the chaotic scenes at Australian airports this year. Qantas has suffered a shortage of baggage handlers since its 2020 decision to outsource about 1,700 jobs. That decision was found to be unlawful and in part motivated by anti-union sentiment, and the airline is now attempting to challenge that finding in the high court. One Swissport baggage handler in Sydney raised concerns that those loading and transporting bags to and from Qantas and Jetstar flights were overworked, poorly paid, and unable to handle the increase in baggage in recent months as domestic travel had soared.<br/>