Due to the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, Cathay Pacific, the flag carrier of Hong Kong, has asked all of its 27,000 employees to take three weeks of unpaid leave between March and June, South China Morning Post reports.

The decision to ask the staff to voluntarily take ‘special leave’ came as a result of the consequences of still spreading coronavirus and its grave impact on Cathay and the entire air travel industry.

The CEO of the company, Augustus Tang Kin-wing, said that Cathay is taking this measure to protect its staff and the business, comparing the severity of the current situation to the global financial crisis of 2009.

The scheme is expected to involve all the employees, including senior managers. “I am appealing to each and everyone one of you to help,” Tang was quoted as saying.

Apart from this, Cathay Pacific has also announced that it cuts 30 per cent flights worldwide for two months (including a 90 per cent cut in capacity to mainland China).