Integrity Focus

Two former flight attendants of an airline company, charged by the ICAC, were today (June 30) convicted at the District Court of accepting bribes totalling over HK$66,000 for assisting others to enjoy staff benefits to purchase air tickets at concessionary rates.

Lee Chung-fai, 28, and Wong Oi-ting, 33, both former flight attendants of Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (Cathay Pacific), were each found guilty of one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.

Judge Mr Anthony Kwok Kai-on adjourned the case to September 7 for sentence. Wong was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department, while Lee was granted bail till next Thursday (July 6).

At the material time, Lee and Wong were flight attendants of Cathay Pacific. Under the “Companion Travel Scheme” (the Scheme), each employee of Cathay Pacific was allowed to nominate a partner, sibling, family member or friend to be a travelling companion who would be able to purchase air tickets of Cathay Pacific and its partner airlines at concessionary rates. Cathay Pacific prohibited its staff from receiving advantages for nominating others as their travelling companions.

The court heard that between late 2018 and early 2019, Cathay Pacific’s then flight purser Lau Ching-man discussed with an overseas fashion designer she got acquainted online to arrange Lau’s colleagues to nominate two friends of the designer as their travelling companions. Lau then contacted Lee and Wong to discuss the nomination arrangements.

Afterwards, Lee and Wong respectively accepted a bribe of about US$5,000 (about HK$39,000) and US$3,500 (about HK$27,000) for nominating the two friends of the fashion designer as their travelling companions. The two friends subsequently purchased 29 sectors of air tickets at concessionary rates, involving a price difference totalling at least about HK$530,000.

Should Cathay Pacific know that Lee and Wong had received advantages in relation to their travelling companion nominations, it would not have approved the nominations and issued the concessionary flight tickets.

Co-defendant Lau, 36, former flight purser of Cathay Pacific, earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of bribery. Her case was adjourned to July 6 for mention at the District Court. In addition to her participation in the above corrupt dealings, she accepted bribes totalling at least US$1,500 (about HK$12,000) from the fashion designer for nominating the latter as her travelling companion for year 2019. As a result, the fashion designer purchased 20 sectors of air tickets at concessionary rates, involving a price difference totalling at least about HK$330,000.

Cathay Pacific had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Fergus Chau, assisted by ICAC officer Anthony Chan.