Lost my loyalty

Cathay Pacific is no longer the great airline it once was. It pains me to say this, but it is true. No great airline would suddenly cancel dozens of flights during a busy holiday period with short notice. Cathay did that during the Christmas and New Year period, throwing a monkey wrench into the works by ruining holiday plans for thousands of passengers. Most people book well ahead of big holidays to ensure they get flights and hotel rooms. Cathay put its reputation through the mill by suddenly cancelling so many flights.

To throw a monkey wrench into the works means to do something that spoils someone's plans. To put someone or something through the mill means to put it in a very difficult situation. Cathay has now said it will cancel at least a dozen flights a day until the end of February to make sure there are enough pilots during the Lunar New Year rush. How can it still claim to be a top airline? I have been a loyal Cathay passenger for many years even though its fares are higher than other airlines.

I was in the US during the pandemic. To avoid the Hong Kong quarantine, I spent months traveling to many US cities to see relatives. I always flew first class on Cathay partner airlines in the One World group. This enabled me to renew my Marco Polo Gold status just on US domestic flights even during the pandemic. I tried Eva Air business class from the US to Hong Kong a few months ago. The meals and service were far better than Cathay. Sorry to say Cathay may have lost my loyalty to Eva.

國泰航空已經不再像從前那樣，是優秀的航空公司了。要這樣說令我很難過，但確是事實。沒有優秀的航空公司會在繁忙的假期期間，在臨時通知之下突然取消數以十計的航班，但國泰在聖誕和新年期間就這樣做了，打亂了許多人的計劃（throwing a monkey wrench into the works），破壞數以千計的乘客的假期。大部分人都會在遠早於大時大節之前就預訂，確保能買到機位和酒店住宿。國泰取消這麼多的航班，令其聲譽大受打擊（through the mill）。

To throw a monkey wrench into the works的意思是做一些事去搗亂、破壞別人的計劃。To put someone or something through the mill是指令某人或某事落入非常艱難的處境或磨練之中。國泰現在已明言，直至二月底它將會每天取消十二個航班，以確保在農曆新年高峰期有足夠的機師。它又怎能仍自稱是頂級的航空公司？我多年來一直都是國泰的忠實顧客，即使它的價格比其他航空公司要高。

在疫情期間我身處美國。為了避開香港的隔離措施，我花了好些月份到許多美國城市去探望我的親屬。我總是搭乘國泰於「寰宇一家」聯盟其他成員航空公司的頭等艙。這令我即使在疫情期間，只消搭乘美國本土機，仍能為我的馬可孛羅金卡續期。幾個月前，我試搭長榮航空的商務艙，從美國回港，它的食物和服務遠遠比國泰的要好。抱歉一句，國泰或已失掉我的忠誠，輸給長榮了。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻