Cathay to operate extra flights for stranded Oasis passengers

A provisional liquidator was appointed today for a winding up of Oasis and the carrier has suspended all operations. It was serving London Gatwick and Vancouver from its Hong Kong base using Boeing 747-400s.

Oneworld alliance carrier Cathay says in a statement that it will operate two additional flights to London this Friday and Sunday, primarily to carry a large number of schoolchildren returning to the UK after a school term break.

“A number of seats would be set aside on these as well as scheduled flights, where possible, to accommodate the returning students,” says Cathay.

“We hope our contingency arrangements can accommodate as many as possible of the school children affected, and take people home who have been stranded by the closure.”

It adds: “We will be doing our utmost to help people out, but our efforts are complicated by the fact that our own flights are very full at the moment, and remain so for the next few weeks.”

Cathay says it is also making special discounted ticketing arrangements to help customers who had confirmed bookings on Oasis’ London and Vancouver flights over the next two weeks. Oasis was a long-haul budget carrier that priced its tickets below those of Cathay and other long-haul carriers.