China probes Cathay’s empty oxygen bottles

Bloomberg

Cathay Pacific Airways is under investigation by Chinese regulators after emergency oxygen bottles on three flights were found depleted or completely empty, compounding pressure on the Hong Kong airline from mainland authorities.
Cabin crew from the flights have been grounded so they can help with the probe, Cathay told staff in a memo. As well as the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Hong Kong authorities and local police are also investigating, the note said.
Pre-flight inspections discovered 13 oxygen canisters — designed to be used by crew in an emergency depressurisation of the cabin — that were partially or fully discharged, Cathay said.
The inquiry is another headache for the airline’s new chief executive officer, Augustus Tang, weeks after Chinese regulators threatened to bar Cathay from the mainland because some staff supported the Hong Kong protests.
Cathay’s note to employees didn’t apportion blame for the depleted bottles, but said the probe is also drawing in ground staff, caterers, cleaners and engineers. It’s almost unheard of for a single airline to find so many canisters empty in such a short space of time.
“This is quite unusual,” said Shukor Yusof, founder of aviation consulting firm Endau Analytics. “It’s hurting Cathay’s brand.” It’s the latest blow to Cathay as it struggles through months of anti-Beijing demonstrations that have at times shut down Hong Kong’s airport, Asia’s busiest hub for international traffic.