Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific faces customer backlash over membership changes

In a press release on Wednesday, the airline stated it would introduce several changes aimed at enhancing the experience of its members. These include a new “Diamond Exec” tier and the removal of certain benefits for customers beyond a specific status level.

“We are evolving the Cathay membership programme with our current and future members in mind, offering them a smoother, simpler and better membership experience,” Vivian Lo, Cathay’s director of customer lifestyle, said.

“By simplifying the path to higher status and providing greater flexibility for members in new ways, members can look forward to progressing with greater ease and enjoying a more rewarding journey that truly elevates their lives.”

The newly introduced “Cathay Diamond Exec” tier offers perks such as a dedicated relationship manager and four single-sector upgrade passes.

Additional adjustments include no longer resetting customer status points to zero after an upgrade, standardising the membership cycle to the calendar year and allowing excess status point rollover to the following year for passengers at gold tier or above.