Cathay was actually well patronised, it went when CX got into bed with BA.
CX blamed poor load factors UK-HK etc etc but it was reasonably well used. Certainly all the press releases until this point indicated that it was a major success until that marriage. General UK market conditions were blamed BUT fares shot up so that it was actually cheaper to get on a shuttle and fly via LHR with BA and then CX than it was to fly direct.
As a footnote and despite "market conditions" the slot miraculously re-appeared at LHR about 3 months after our service ended moving them to about 4 a day..........and almost an hourly shuttle to HK !
SAA had 80% load factors but when apparthied was ended this opened previously closed markets to countries and major capital cities which had not been served up to this point.......our aircraft was needed to serve what were considered more prestigious destinations.....
QANTAS also had 80% load factors but we lost that one when BA bought a 25% stake in QF .....again service finished within about 6 months !
For the record the same was true with IBERIA !
....don't wish to to start whinging about BA but when these mergers and takeovers occurred they bleated about "increased competition, more customer choice etc etc !
It was and remains complete bollocks !
They manipulated fares and screwed the market !
...I am only amased that they have never not put pressure on EK and AA !
BA told the airlines to stop serving Manchester
Same happened with QF , BA bought a 25% stake and within