Cathay Pacific Coronavirus updates

March 9, 2020

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Cathay Pacific & Cathay Dragon have cut more than 75% of their weekly flights schedule for March 2020 and have around half their total fleet (120 aircraft) grounded due to flight restrictions and decreased demand.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Refunds and ticket changes

Free rebooking on Hong Kong routes

If you booked on or before 4 February 2020 for travel until 31 May 2020 for any ticket to, through or from Hong Kong, you can change your booking with no rebooking or rerouting fees. You may have to pay a fare difference if your new ticket is more expensive, but our agents will do their best to find you a similar priced fare. You can choose a new date up to 10 December 2020, if you haven’t decided right now, don’t worry – you have until 31 May 2020 to change your ticket.

	Ticket booked on/before	Original travel period	Travel before
All flights to/ through/ from Hong Kong	4 Feb 2020	4 Feb to 31 May 2020	10 Dec 2020

Some conditions apply. Your ticket must be:

Booked on a Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon flight.
Booked directly through our website, mobile app or Global Contact Centre (For bookings made through a travel agent or third-party website, please contact them directly for changes).
Fare differences may apply and your new ticket must follow the same fare rules of your old ticket (for example if your new ticket is during peak season while the original ticket is for low season, or certain travel dates may not be eligible).

Cathay Pacific Refunds?

In view of the evolving COVID-19 situation, we’re offering you more flexibility, so that you can change your plans easily. We recommend you read our guide below to find answers to your questions before calling our Contact Centre. We’re currently experiencing very high call volumes and therefore waiting times can be long. Please note that our Contact Centre agents are following the same guide for refunds and charges.

If you’ve booked through a travel agent or third-party website, please contact them directly for changes. We are unable to change travel agent bookings through our Contact Centre.

You can refund your ticket free of charge for these countries/regions that have imposed major travel restrictions. This is the current list of destinations where we offer free refunds, but please note things are changing rapidly. To be eligible for refund, your original ticket must match these dates:

Destination/Origin	Ticket issued on/before	Last date of planned travel
Wuhan	21 Jan	30 Apr
Mainland China	3 Feb	30 Apr
Philippines	4 Feb	30 Apr
Taiwan China	8 Feb	30 Apr
Israel	19 Feb	30 Apr
South Korea	24 Feb	30 Apr
Thailand	6 Mar	30 Apr
Japan	6 Mar	30 Apr

These restrictions are defined based on locations where the travel restrictions are unduly prohibitive. We are unable to consider the constraints of all countries’ travel-imposed rules right now, but please bear in mind we are constantly reviewing these as the situation evolves.

For all other countries, we are not able to offer a free refund, but you can change your flight with no rebooking or rerouting fees (fare difference applies). We are not able to give refunds for tickets that were bought after travel restrictions were announced.

Cathay Pacific travel restrictions

In light of the evolving situation regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), a number of governments have issued entry restrictions for foreign travellers. The below table outlines restrictions by country/region. As these restrictions may change at short notice, this table should be used as a guideline only. We recommend that passengers refer to the latest information published by the government of their destination country.

At the airport, Cathay Pacific teams will perform document checks to confirm passengers are eligible to travel to destinations with restrictions in place. As such, mobile and self-print boarding passes have been disabled for these regions. To receive your boarding pass, please proceed to the Cathay Pacific counter at the airport to complete the necessary checks. Passengers will also be asked to declare their travel history over the last 14 days to help us ensure eligibility to travel. It is particularly important that all passengers disclose if they have visited Mainland China during this period.

Given the current situation, we have issued special ticketing guidelines that waive rerouting and rebooking charges for eligible bookings.

For more information, our notice regarding capacity reductions lists the routes subject to temporary suspension, and our novel coronavirus (COVID-19) information centre details the precautionary measures we’re taking in response to the current situation.

Destination	Entry restrictions
Australia	Passengers who meet the following criteria are not permitted to enter Australia:Travelled from/transited through Mainland China in the past 14 days. Entry will not be allowed until 14 days after leaving or transiting through Mainland China.Disembarked from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama during the month of February. Entry will only be allowed once a 14 day quarantine period has been taken after disembarking from the ship.Foreigners who have visited or transited through Iran since 1 March 2020, are prohibited from entering Australia for 14 days from the time they have left or transited through Iran.Foreigners who have visited or transited through South Korea since 5 March 2020 are prohibited from entering Australia for 14 days from the time they have left or transited through South Korea.Exemptions: Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens who currently reside in Australia are able to enter Australia, along with their immediate family (spouses, legal guardians or dependents only). Year 11 and 12 High School Chinese students may apply for an exemption on a case-by-case basis. On arrival in Australia, these students would be subject to a 14-day self-imposed quarantine.
Bahrain	Passengers who meet the following criteria are not permitted to enter Bahrain:Any person who has visited or transited through mainland China in the past 14 daysAny person who has visited or transited through Hong Kong SAR in the past 14 daysExemptions:Bahraini nationalsBahrain citizen/residents (including holders of a Bahrain identity card or resident permit visa)The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) nationals, including nationals of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
Bangladesh	Passengers who meet the following criteria are not eligible for a visa on arrival:Suspension of Visa on Arrival (VOA) service for foreigners from People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan), Iran, Italy or Republic of Korea (South Korea).Foreigners arriving from People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan), Iran, Italy or Republic of Korea (South Korea) with a pre-arranged visa must have a medical certificate of having test negative for COVID-19.Exemptions: Passengers travelling on one of the above passports, and already have a Bangladesh visa, are permitted to enter.
China (Mainland): Guangzhou (CAN) Changsha (CSX) Chongqing (CKG) Chengdu (CTU) Hangzhou (HGH) Ningbo (NGB) Nanjing (NKG) Qingdao (TAO) Wenzhou (WNZ) Xi’an (XIY)	Passengers who meet one or more of the following criteria are permitted to board, but may be subject to quarantine requirements for 14 days upon arrival:Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport or China ID card that lists Hubei Province as the place of issue.Visited the Hubei Province in the past 14 days.
China (Mainland): Hainan Province Sanya (SYX) Haikou (HAK)	Passengers who meet one or more of the following criteria are not permitted to enter Hainan Island (Haiku Airport or Sanya Airport):Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport or China ID card that lists Hubei Province as the place of issue.Visited the Hubei Province in the past 14 days.
China (Mainland): Shanghai (PVG & SHA) Beijing (PEK)	Any passengers who arriving from Japan, South Korea, Italy or Iran by direct or transit flights, are required to undergo 14-days compulsory quarantine after entering Shanghai.If the permitted stay in the mainland China is less than 14 days, entry to Shanghai (PVG/SHA) will be refused.
China (Mainland): Xiamen (XMN)	Any passengers who arrive from Italy, Iran, Singapore, Japan and South Korea – by direct or transit flights, are required to undergo 14-days compulsory quarantine after entering Xiamen.If the permitted stay in mainland China is less than 14 days, entry to Xiamen will be refused.
Hong Kong SAR, China	Any person – including Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR passport holders – who have entered or stayed in Mainland China in the past 14 days will be required to undergo a 14-day compulsory quarantine immediately upon entering Hong Kong SAR. Any person (including Hong Kong residents) who have been to Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy or Veneto regions (inc. Bologna, Milan, Venice and Verona) of Italy or Iran in the past 14 days, will be required to undergo a 14-day compulsory quarantine after entering Hong Kong. Passengers who meet one or more of the following criteria are not permitted to enter Hong Kong:Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport or China ID card that lists Hubei Province as the place of issue.Visited the Hubei Province in the past 14 days.Any customer who has been to Mainland China within the last 14 days and whose entry permit for Hong Kong (eg: visa or other type of permit), is less than 14 days in duration.Exemptions: Passengers transiting through Hong Kong, and passengers holding a HKID card are permitted to enter. From 25 February 2020, any non-Hong Kong residents arriving from The Republic of Korea (South Korea) are not permitted to enter Hong Kong. Exemptions:Hong Kong residents are exempt from this restriction, however medical questioning will occur on arrival and may result in medical surveillance or compulsory quarantine – depending on the passenger’s travel history in South Korea. Any customers transiting through Hong Kong.
India	Passengers who meet one or more of the following criteria are not permitted to enter India:Passengers travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport with any form of visa (sticker or e-Visa) issued before 5 February 2020.Any passenger who is arriving from, or has visited Mainland China since 15 January 2020.Passengers travelling on an Italy, Iran, South Korea or Japan passport with any form of visa (sticker or e-Visa) issued on or before 3 March 2020.Visa on Arrival facilities for nationals of Japan and South Korea are suspended. Suspension of the visa (sticker or e-Visa) to all other foreign nationals who have visited Mainland China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan, on or after 1 February 2020. Passengers travelling from or having visited Italy or Republic of Korea (South Korea), are required to have a medical certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19 from the designated laboratories authorized by the health authorities of these countries before travelling to India. Exemptions:Nationals of India, OCI cardholders, Diplomats, Officials of UN and other International bodies from the above countries/regions are exempted from such restrictions on entry.
Indonesia	Passengers travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport will no longer be eligible for a visa on arrival.Any passenger who has visited Mainland China in the past 14 days are not permitted to enter Indonesia. Foreigners who have visited the following places are not allowed to enter or transit through Indonesia nominated regions of Iran (Tehran, Qom or Gilan)nominated regions of Italy (Lombardi, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Marche and Piedmont)South Korea (Daegu city and Gyeongsangbuk-do province) in the past 14 days Exemptions: Indonesian citizens and lawful residents are permitted to enter.
Israel	Passengers who meet the following criteria are not permitted to enter Israel:Travelled from / transited through Mainland China in the past 14 days.Anyone who has visited China (including Hong Kong and Macao), Japan, Thailand, Singapore or South Korea in the past 14 days.Exemptions:Israeli citizens or residentsPassengers in transit through Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Thailand, Singapore or South Korea
Japan	Passengers who meet one or more of the following criteria are not permitted to enter Japan:Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport that lists Hubei or Zhejiang province as the place of issue.Have visited either the Hubei or Zhejiang province in the past 14 days.Have visited the following regions in the past 14 days: Republic of Korea – Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gyeongsang, Andong, Yeongcheon, Chilgok, Uiseong, Seongju, GunwiIran – cities of Ghom, Tehran and Gilan Any passengers who arrive from the following countries are required to undergo 14 days compulsory quarantine at a Government designated location and are not permitted to use public transportation in Japan. China (including mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR)Republic of Korea Note: Passengers transiting from Hong Kong to Japan will also be required to undergo compulsory quarantine. (i.e. passengers on multi-leg flights from Hong Kong to Taipei, Taipei to Tokyo-Narita and Osaka-Kansai) Visa issuance to Chinese nationals is suspended until further notice. The visa waiver program to Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Korean Passport holders is suspended until further notice.
Korea	Passengers who meet one or more of the following criteria will not be permitted to enter Korea:Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport that lists Hubei province as the place of issue.Travelling on any type of visa issued by the Korean Consulate in Wuhan.Have visited the Hubei province in the past 14 days.With effect from 12 February 2020, all passengers travelling from Hong Kong or Macao must travel with a functioning mobile phone and contactable phone number. Prior to arrival in Korea, our cabin crew will provide passengers with the required arrival documents and health declaration forms. On arrival, local Quarantine or Immigration officials will verify the passenger’s contact number as stated on these forms. If the verification process is unsuccessful, the passenger will be denied entry into Korea.Exemptions: Korean citizens, permanent residents, spouses and direct family members are permitted to enter. Other restrictions include:Suspension of the Visa Waiver program for passengers travelling to Jeju (CJU) on a People’s Republic of China passport.Suspension, until 11.59pm, 16 February 2020, of the Transit Without Visa (TWOV) program at all Korean airports for any person departing Mainland China.
Malaysia	Passengers who meet the following criteria are not permitted to enter or transit Malaysia:Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport that lists Hubei Province, Zhejiang Province or Jiangsu Province as the place of issue.Any nationalities who are travelling directly or transiting through a third country from:Hubei Province (i.e. Wuhan)Zhejiang Province (i.e. Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou)Jiangsu Province (i.e. Nanjing)Foreigners who have, in the past 14 days, visited:Daegu city and Cheongdo county of South Koreathe Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna regions in Italythe Hokkaido region in Japancities of Tehran, Qom and Gilan in Iran Please also note the Malaysian Government has suspended new visa applications (i.e. eENTRI, Visa on Arrival, e-visa and manual visa) for Chinese nationals and other nationalities who have visited Hubei, Zhejiang and/or Jiangsu provinces of China in the past 14 days. Exemptions:Nationals of Malaysia, Permanent Residents and Long Term Visa Pass or Student Pass holders, however, they must undergo health screening by the Ministry of Health upon arrival.
Maldives	Passengers who meet the following criteria are not permitted to enter or transit through the Maldives:Visited the Mainland China in the past 14 days.Exemptions: Maldivian nationals are permitted to enter Foreigners who have visited Iran, South Korean regions of North Gyeongsang Province and South Gyeongsang Province (in addition to Mainland China) in the past 14 days, are not allowed to enter or transit through Maldives.
Myanmar	Passengers who meet the following criteria are not eligible for a visa on arrival:Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport.All Mainland Chinese nationals need to obtain their visa prior to travel.
New Zealand	Foreigners who have been in South Korea or Northern Italy in the past 14 days, will be required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine upon entering New Zealand. Passengers who meet the following criteria are not permitted to enter New Zealand:Anyone who has travelled from/transited through Mainland China in the last 14 days.Anyone who has commenced their journey from/visited Iran in the past 14 days.Any passengers or cruise ship crew who have disembarked the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the past 14 days.Exemptions:New Zealand citizens and permanent residents are still able to enter New Zealand, along with their immediate family (spouses, legal guardians or dependents only)Australian citizens and permanent residents who consider New Zealand their permanent place of residence are also permitted to enter.
Nepal (effective from March 10, 2020)	Suspension of Visa on Arrival (VOA) facilities for the nationals of the following countries:People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong SAR and Macau SARIslamic Republic of IranItalyRepublic of Korea (South Korea)Japan
Thailand	Passengers arriving from China (including Hong Kong and Macao), South Korea, Italy, and Iran may be required to self-quarantine for 14-days upon arrival.Passengers intending to stay less than 14 days can still travel to Thailand but may be required to self-quarantine at their hotel or residence during their stay.Exemptions: Passengers arriving in Thailand via Hong Kong from countries not listed above will be exempt from the 14-day self-quarantine on arrival.
The Philippines	For flights to The Philippines: Passengers who have travelled from/transited through Mainland China, Hong Kong or Macao are not permitted to enter. Exemptions:Philippine citizens and their foreign spouse/children (including permanent residents, holders of a Recognition certificate and RA9225 Identification certificate) are permitted to enter – however must undergo a 14 day home quarantine on arrival.Passengers travelling on Diplomatic passports may travel – however will be subject to a 14 day quarantine on arrival. For flights from The Philippines: Non-Philippine citizens may continue to travel from the Philippines as normal. Under a temporary travel restriction, with some limited exemptions, Philippine citizens are not permitted to travel to or transit through Mainland China, Hong Kong or Macao.Exemptions: The following passengers are permitted to travel from the Philippines: Filipinos leaving abroad for study, are allowed to travel to Hong Kong and MacaoOverseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), whether returning or newly-hired, may travel to Hong Kong and Macao upon a declaration signifying their knowledge and understanding of the risks involved. Our airport teams will provide more information on this requirement at check-in. For further information on travel to/from the Philippines, please view our travel advisory.
Singapore	Passengers who meet one or more of the following criteria are not permitted to enter or transit through Singapore:Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport that lists Hubei Province as the place of issue. This includes passports that have Singapore short-term or multiple-visit visas.Visited Mainland China in the past 14 days.Work pass holders (regardless of nationality) with travel history to Mainland China within the past 14 days are required to obtain an approval letter from the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) before they are allowed to travel to Singapore. Passengers will need to present this document to our airport teams before they are accepted for travel.Please note there is also a suspension on the issuance of new visas to People’s Republic of China passport holders. Exemptions: Singapore citizens, permanent residents or long-term–pass holders (including work passes and permits, student passes, dependant passes and long-term visit passes) who have previously travelled to Hubei Province, or hold a People’s Republic of China passport issued in Hubei Province, are permitted to enter Singapore. These passengers will be quarantined at home or in other suitable facilities upon arrival in Singapore.Foreigners who have visited the following countries in the past 14 days are not permitted to enter or transit through Singapore: IranRepublic of Korea (South Korea)Northern Italy (Aosta Valley, Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol) Suspension of all forms of Visas (including short-term and multiple-visit visas) issuance to those with Iranian passports. During this period of suspension, Iranian passport holder will not be allowed entry into Singapore, with immediate effect.
Sri Lanka	Passengers who meet the following criteria are not eligible for a visa on arrival:Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport.All Mainland Chinese nationals need to obtain their visa prior to travel. Any nationalities who have visited or transited through Italy, Iran and South Korea in past 14 days, are required to undergo a 14-day compulsory quarantine after entering Sri Lanka. If the permitted stay is less than 14 days, entry Sri Lanka will be refused.
Taiwan, China	Passengers travelling on a passport or document issued by the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR will not be permitted to enter Taiwan.Foreigners who have entered or stayed in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR will be refused entry.Any passenger who arrives from Italy will be required to undergo a 14-day compulsory quarantine immediately upon arrival.Foreigners arriving from Iran will be required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine when entering Taiwan.Any passenger (other than those listed above) who transits through Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR will be allowed to enter Taiwan, however will be required to undergo a 14-day compulsory quarantine immediately upon arrival.Taiwanese residents returning from the Republic of Korea (South Korea) on 25 and 26 February will be required to participate in a 14-day ‘self-health management’ after returning.Taiwanese residents returning from the Republic of Korea (South Korea) on or after 27 February will be required to undergo a 14-day ‘home quarantine’ after returning.The issuing of visas (Visa on Arrival or Online Visa Application) for Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR passport holders is suspended.Exemptions:Passengers holding a Taiwanese resident card or passengers who are the spouse of a Taiwanese citizen are permitted to enter.Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR passport holders with an Exit/Entry Permit issued after 11 February 2020 and with a travel purpose of “商務履約、跨國企業內部調動” (business purpose for the transnational enterprise). Passengers with such an entry permit will be allowed to enter Taiwan but will be required to undergo a 14-day home quarantine after entering Taiwan.Holders of a Resident Certificate for The Taiwan Area (臺灣地區居留證). This card is mainly issued to Hong Kong SAR / Macao SAR / People’s Republic of China passport holders who reside in Taiwan, but only those with the purpose code: HF151, HF152, HF155 and HF189 will be allowed entry.Holders of an Alien Resident Certificate (外僑居留證). This card is issued to foreign residents other than Hong Kong SAR / Macao SAR / People’s Republic of China passport holders and has a specific expiry date.Holders of an Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (外僑永久居留證). This card is issued to foreign residents other than Hong Kong SAR / Macao SAR / People’s Republic of China passport holders, and allows them to permanently stay in Taiwan.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)	Passengers holding with Iranian passports, are not allowed to entry United Arab Emirates (i.e. DXB).Exemptions will be given to Iranian nationals holding a valid UAE Resident Visa or Iranian Diplomatic Passport.
United States	Passengers who meet the following criteria are not permitted to enter the United States:Non-US citizens or residents who have visited Mainland China in past 14 days.Foreigners who have entered or transited through Iran or Mainland China in the past 14 daysExemptions: US citizens and lawful residents who have visited Mainland China in past 14 days will only be permitted arrival into one of the following 11 airports: Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Washington Dulles (IAD), Seattle (SEA), Atlanta (ATL), Honolulu (HNL), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Detroit (DTW). Travellers arriving in these airports will be subject to a quarantine assessment on arrival. US citizens and lawful residents booked on Cathay Pacific services to Boston (BOS) must be re-routed to one of the above airports.
Vietnam	All nationalities who have visited or transited through Italy or Iran in the past 14 days, will be required to undergo a 14-day compulsory quarantine after entering Vietnam. The Visa Waiver Program for Nationals of Italy will be suspended with immediate effect. Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) Passengers who meet one or more of the following criteria are not permitted to enter Ho Chi Minh City:All foreign passport holders who have been in or transited through Mainland China in the past 14 daysTravelling on a People’s Republic of China passport with a visa on arrival approval letter.Travelling on any other passport with a visa on arrival approval letter, and have visited Mainland China in the past 14 days.Korean passport holders travelling under the Vietnam visa waiver program. Hanoi (HAN) & Da Nang (DAD) Passengers who meet one or more of the following criteria are not permitted to enter Hanoi or Da Nang:All foreign passport holders who have been in or transited through Mainland China in the past 14 days.Travelling on a People’s Republic of China passport with a visa on arrival approval letter or a Tourist visa (DL).Korean passport holders travelling under the Vietnam visa waiver program. People’s Republic of China passport holders travelling on an APEC card must present an invitation letter from their company/business partners in Vietnam to prove the entry purpose is for business and not leisure. APEC card holders must present an invitation letter from their company/business partners in Vietnam to prove the purpose for their visit is business, not leisure. Exemptions:Vietnam citizens and residents are permitted to enter.Those travelling for Diplomatic or Official purposes. All such passengers will be required to undergo a medical examination on arrival before entry is permitted.