Cathay Pacific

Food and drink4 answers

Halal meals

Airline policyMeals are pork- and alcohol-free on Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Middle East flights; elsewhere order a Muslim meal.

Cathay Pacific says all meals on flights to and from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Middle East are prepared without pork, pork by-products, alcohol or alcohol-based ingredients. Elsewhere a Muslim meal can be ordered at least 24 hours before the flight. Cathay does not describe either as halal, and says its meals may not meet religious requirements.

Who certifies them

Airline policyIts Hong Kong caterer is halal-certified by the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong.

The Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong lists Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Ltd among airline kitchens with halal certification, valid to 31 July 2027, and says these kitchens prepare halal meals for passengers flying out of Hong Kong when requested at booking. Cathay itself names no certifier.

Does the meal turn up

Traveller or press reportTwo forum posts with photos show the Muslim meal served as ordered, in 2018 and 2024.

Two FlyerTalk posts with photos show the Muslim meal served as ordered, on CX715 from Hong Kong to Singapore in October 2018 (pan-fried fish with couscous) and at lunch from Shanghai to Hong Kong in October 2024 (chicken breast in cream sauce with rice). We found no first-hand report of a Muslim meal going missing.

Alcohol on board

Airline policyWine and a house beer are part of the service; no dry routes are published, even to Riyadh.

Cathay Pacific's dining page features curated wines and Betsy beer designed for altitude, and cocktails in its lounges. We found no dry route or destination-specific alcohol policy, including for its daily Riyadh service.

Not in Cathay Pacific's published policies: On partner flights · Ramadan · Amenity kit

PrayerNothing published

Not in Cathay Pacific's published policies: Space to pray · Qibla and prayer times · Crew and prayer · Water for istinja · Prayer rooms in lounges

Crew and service2 answers

Crew training

Airline policyReligion is in Cathay's diversity pledge and staff have a prayer room; no faith-specific training is published.

Cathay Pacific names religious beliefs among the dimensions of its workforce diversity, pledges to embrace employees regardless of religion or cultural background, and offers staff a multifaith prayer room in Hong Kong. After the 2023 incident its chief executive said all employees must respect customers from different backgrounds and cultures. We found no religion-specific crew training.

Reported incidents

Traveller or press reportCathay fired three crew in 2023 for mocking a passenger's English; no Muslim passenger cases were found.

CNN reported that Cathay Pacific fired three cabin crew in May 2023 after a recording from a Chengdu to Hong Kong flight caught a crew member refusing a passenger a blanket and mocking his English; chief executive Ronald Lam said he would lead a task force to improve service. The South China Morning Post reported Hong Kong's Equal Opportunities Commission warning that the crew might have indirectly breached the discrimination ordinance. In an earlier case, Salim Zakhrouf, an Algerian-born Muslim airport worker, said Cathay offered him an interview in London only after he reapplied under a British-sounding name; the airline called it an administrative error. We found no case of a Muslim passenger being profiled or refused carriage.

Not in Cathay Pacific's published policies: Hijab in crew uniform · Help from women staff · Eid and Ramadan on board

Seating and families1 answer

Sitting together as a family

Airline policyPassengers with a child under 12 can reserve regular and preferred seats free in advance.

Passengers travelling with a child or infant under 12 in the same booking can reserve preferred and regular seats free of charge, on tickets issued by Cathay for flights it markets and operates. Extra legroom seats remain chargeable.

Not in Cathay Pacific's published policies: Changing seats

Hajj, Umrah and routes1 answer

Routes to Muslim-majority countries

Airline policyFlies daily to Riyadh and Dubai, and to Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia; no Jeddah or Medina.

Cathay Pacific flies daily between Hong Kong and Riyadh from 26 October 2025, having launched the route in October 2024, and daily between Hong Kong and Dubai. Its meal notes cover flights to and from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Middle East. We found no Cathay service to Jeddah or Medina.

Not in Cathay Pacific's published policies: Zamzam water