Updated on March 16:
***The airline has also reinstated flight CX256 from London Heathrow to Hong Kong on March 18, 19 and 20.***
Cathay Pacific has temporarily reinstated three return flights between London and Hong Kong, and increased capacity on select US routes for the upcoming Easter break.
Hong Kong’s flag carrier said it has decided to make these changes because it “understands that many Hong Kong students and citizens in North America and London are eager to come home as soon as possible and in time for the Easter break”.
Details are as follows:
| Destination | Flight No. | Date(s) | Note |
| New York (JFK) | CX845 | March 19 | Service reinstated |
| Boston (BOS) | CX811 | March 20 | Service reinstated |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | CX881 | March 20-28 (except March 23) | Larger aircraft |
| Seattle (SEA) | CX857 | March 21 | Larger aircraft |
| San Francisco (SFO) | CX893 | March 16 | Larger aircraft |
| CX879 | March 18 | Larger aircraft | |
| London (LHR) | CX250 | March 17-21 | Service reinstated |
| CX254 | March 19 | Service reinstated | |
| CX255 (departing from Hong Kong) | March 17-19 | Service reinstated | |
| CX256 | March 18-20 | Service reinstated |
These additional seats are now available for booking on its website and through its Global Contact Centre.
Cathay said that with entry restrictions imposed on travellers by a number of governments in light of the evolving situation regarding the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), congestion at London Heathrow Airport is “highly likely, with longer queues expected at security and immigration”. Therefore, it suggests that passengers arrive three to four hours prior to their flight’s scheduled departure time.
On March 15, Hong Kong issued a red travel alert for Ireland, the UK and the US. Starting from March 19, people arriving in Hong Kong who have been to Ireland, the UK, the US and Egypt in the past 14 days, regardless of whether they are Hong Kong residents, will have to undergo a 14-day home quarantine.
Earlier, the Hong Kong government said those arriving in the city who had been to South Korea, Iran, Hokkaido in Japan and the Schengen Area in Europe for the past 14 days must also quarantine for 14 days. These measures remain unchanged.
The Hong Kong flag carrier previously said it expects “substantial” losses in the first half of 2020 and announced capacity cuts on several routes across its global network due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cathay now offers free and unlimited changes to all tickets issued between March 9 and April 20, as well as “relief points” for Marco Polo Club members in February, March and April 2020, based on members’ current tier.