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South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's Cathay says sorry to passengers stuck on plane without air con
Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways has apologised to the passengers of a Bangkok-bound flight after a technical issue left them stuck on the plane without air conditioning before they were transferred to another aircraft. Social media users claimed it was not the first such incident to involve the plane this week. The airline did not address the concerns when asked by the Post. Cathay Pacific said on Thursday night that flight CX705 was originally scheduled to depart from Hong Kong at 8am, but was delayed as a result of a technical issue that occurred during boarding and affected the cabin's air conditioning. According to accounts online, passengers were forced to wait on board the plane for more than one hour without air conditioning before being swapped to another aircraft. Cathay stopped short of saying how long passengers were forced to wait on the plane. 'I don't know if it is the air conditioning or the power systems that have issues. They could not even use the PA system,' one user said.
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Philippines' ‘least safe' travel ranking prompts backlash, Canadian firm apologises
Canadian travel insurance comparison firm has issued a formal apology and withdrawn a controversial ranking that labelled the Philippines as the least safe country in the world – a designation that provoked sharp condemnation from the Philippine government and tourism industry. HelloSafe, which had published its '2025 Safety Index' in early June, scored the Philippines 82.32 – placing it at the bottom of a list measuring safety through indicators such as natural disasters, healthcare, societal violence and militarisation. The higher the score, the less safe a country was deemed to be. On June 19, the Department of Tourism issued a strongly worded statement criticising the report's credibility and impact, with Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco saying the index had 'caused serious and lasting harm'. 'What was presented as an objective safety index was, in fact, built on questionable data,' she said, warning that such narratives could undermine the country's tourism industry and livelihoods. 'Moreover, a thorough examination of HelloSafe's websites reveals a focus on driving travel insurance sales rather than ensuring accurate safety assessments as it clearly lacked full methodology disclosure or identifiable data sources.' In a public apology issued on July 15, HelloSafe announced it had suspended the publication of the index pending a 'full audit of the methodology and criteria'. The company acknowledged the backlash and said its intent had been misunderstood.
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Jockey Club boss Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges hails ‘amazing season' after turnover increase
Improved field sizes, increased tourism and the continued strides made in globalising Hong Kong racing have contributed to a three per cent increase in racing wagering turnover for the 2024-25 season, says the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Punters wagered a total of HK$138.85 billion during the campaign, with a 3 per cent increase returning the city to the black in terms of turnover figures after a 4.5 per cent decrease last season that ended a run of three consecutive seasons of record turnover. Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges highlighted the contribution to an uptick in mainland and overseas tourists made to a big year for Hong Kong racing, also pointing to the impact of Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble's heroics during the season. 'It's been an amazing season, with outstanding performances by top horses that have truly captured the imagination of fans not just in Hong Kong but around the world,' said Engelbrecht-Bresges. 'Since the policy address of HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee [Ka-chiu], we have been able to attract even more mainland and overseas tourists, who have come to our racecourses in record numbers to experience our city's signature sport. 'These achievements strengthen the position of Hong Kong racing as a world-class sport and entertainment experience.' Strong commingling turnover was another factor in renewed wagering growth, with a record commingling turnover of HK$31.76 billion – a 10.1 per cent increase on last season. A notable highlight came at the Chinese New Year Raceday in January, with commingling turnover increasing by 23.7 per cent to HK$510.4 million, setting a record in the process and surpassing HK$500 million for the first time. Simulcast racing was another boon, with turnover on simulcasting (including World Pool commingling) up by 2.3 per cent to HK$13.11 billion. The maximum number of simulcast days will be increased from 37 to 53 in 2025-26 and to 70 in 2026-27. Romantic Warrior flew the flag for Hong Kong racing on the international stage, winning the Group One Jebel Hatta (1,800m) at Meydan, while also finishing a close second in both the Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m) and the Group One Dubai Turf (1,800m). At home, Ka Ying Rising's invincible season saw him land the Hong Kong Speed Series bonus of HK$5 million along with four Group Ones, while Voyage Bubble became the first horse since River Verdon to win the Triple Crown. 'Hong Kong racing is truly world class and I am immensely proud of the performances of our champion horses, jockeys and trainers,' said Engelbrecht-Bresges. 'The achievements of amazing horses such as Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble reflect the expertise, dedication and passion of our trainers and jockeys as well as the strong commitment of our owners, who continue to make significant investments to secure the best available equine talent.' The success of Conghua racecourse has also been hailed by Engelbrecht-Bresges, with an increase of 17.7 per cent in horses stabled at the track and a 24.3 per cent increase on winners hailing from the mainland venue. Total racecourse attendance this season was over 1.7 million, including a record 195,786 mainland tourists – a 110 per cent increase on the 93,000 mainland tourists from last campaign. The new season will kick off on September 7 at Sha Tin, while the Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) will be staged on December 14. There will be record prize money on offer at next season's HKIR and Champions Day events, with HK$208 million being offered.
