Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., the renowned Hong Kong-based airline, has announced plans to hire approximately 5,000 new employees in 2024. This decision aligns with the company’s efforts to restore flight capacity to levels seen before the pandemic.
Ronald Lam, the Chief Executive Officer of Cathay Pacific, revealed this ambitious hiring plan during an interview with Bloomberg News at the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines meeting held in Singapore. Emphasizing the importance of this step, Lam stated, “Recruitment and training is really the key factor that we need to get right in order to achieve our goal for next year.” He acknowledged the enormity of the task ahead, referring to it as a “massive” rebuilding scale.
Cathay Pacific was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with Hong Kong’s strict entry and quarantine rules contributing to the airline’s isolation and challenges. To stay afloat, the airline had to undertake a multi-billion dollar recapitalization. The company’s workforce, which includes staff at its subsidiaries, reduced to about 21,900 by the end of June from 34,000 in 2019.
Lam expressed determination in his recent statement, saying, “We are moving mountains to rebuild as quickly as we can.” The airline’s recent hiring records are encouraging; it added 5,000 employees in 2023, including those in catering and cargo handling units. Remarkably, the airline has already achieved 70% of its pre-COVID flight capacity, surpassing its own schedule.