Meanwhile, the owner of three cruise brands – including Crystal Cruises – has laid bare its financial troubles in a note to the Hong Kong stock exchange, while the investigation into alleged Covid breaches at Cathay Pacific escalates.
Here are the headlines affecting travel on Tuesday 18 January.
5G ‘will ground fleets’, US carriers warn
The new C-Band 5G service, to be introduced by AT&T and Verizon in the US tomorrow, could leave large numbers of widebody aircraft unusable, the chief executives of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and others warned in a letter. (The Independent)
Cruise ship operator ‘on brink of bankruptcy’
The owner of Crystal Cruises, Star Cruises and Dream Cruises, Genting Hong Kong, has told investors it may file for provisional liquidation on Tuesday. The embattled cruise ship operator is struggling to meet financial obligations after its German shipbuilding subsidiary fell into insolvency. (Financial Times)
Cathay Pacific crew charged over Covid breach
Two former Cathay Pacific flight attendants have been charged by Hong Kong authorities for allegedly breaching home isolation rules. The pair have been dismissed by the airline. Hong Kong’s leader has vowed to investigate accusations Cathay abused quarantine exemptions that allowed thousands of its passenger crew to return on cargo flights and skirt the weeks-long compulsory isolation. (Financial Times)
Runway blockage hampering Tonga efforts
New Zealand is sending aid to disaster-struck Tonga, but ash on the capital’s main airport runway is preventing relief flights from landing. Military ships will be sent, but this will take days. Fears of a possible humanitarian crisis developing are growing after Saturday’s massive volcano eruption. (BBC News)
Manslaughter charge after ski slope death
A 40-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter after a five-year-old British girl was killed in a "high-speed" skiing crash in France. The unidentified local man was charged on Monday, just over 48 hours after the accident. (The Telegraph)
