Latest from Manchester Evening News :
Ringway blow as two airlines quit
PRESTIGE flights from Manchester to Hong Kong have been scrapped as part of a double blow at Ringway.
In a cost-cutting move Cathay Pacific has pulled out its jumbo jets ''indefinitely'' after 12 years.
And Air Mauritius plans to axe its weekly Manchester flight to the sunshine island after five years.
Cathay Pacific bosses say the profits on their route are not high enough to sustain the daily flights via Paris and Amsterdam.
Spokesman Paul Cruttenden said: ''The decision was taken for commercial reasons.
''You can never say never in this business but there are no current plans to reinstate services at Manchester.''
Profits
Mr Cruttenden added: ''There are no passenger figures available but we do know the route was not making a profit. There can be hundreds of reasons for this - and not necessarily falling passenger numbers.
''Numbers could easily be the same, but global costs could be higher leading to a loss of revenue.''
He said staff in Cathay's hospitality suite and its team of engineers would be retained to fulfil contracts with other airlines.
The pullout is a major blow to Ringway and its new managing director John Spooner.
The airport is attempting to attract more travellers after the opening of the £172m second runway last February.
Cheered
Bosses have been buoyed by the success of new bmi British Midland routes to Washington and Chicago, but want more services so that Ringway can outgrow Gatwick by 2012.
Cathay first halted flights in July because of a pilots' strike, but then decided on an ''indefinite'' withdrawal following a financial review.
Passengers will now have to fly to London or other European cities for a connection to the Far East.
Bosses of Air Mauritius, which ceases operations at Ringway in January, say the number of passengers using their service is acceptable, but there is greater demand for seats in London.
Today, airport bosses said they were still in talks with Cathay and hoped to secure the airline's return.
Routes to Hong Kong and Mauritius were viable, but airlines were suffering wider economic problems and had ''their own commercial reasons'' for reducing services.
''We are confident that growth will continue,'' said a spokeswoman. ''The second runway is an unrivalled asset within the UK and gives us tremendous capacity to accommodate new airlines and services.''
So how do you keep the spirits of those at Manchester up, as it seems they are going to lose their jobs!!!!!!