Arfur Dent
Surprising that a MAYDAY doesn't necessarily shift the ATC status to FULL EMERGENCY.
From a very reliable source, HK ATC phoned CX IOC to ask about the nature of CX780’s engine problems. From IOC’s data at the time, 780’s engines were running and this was conveyed to ATC who subsequently without telling CX or the crew, downgraded the emergency. If this is true, who gives ATC the right to downgrade a Mayday call?