Three flight attendants charged with accepting HK$98,000 bribes over staff travel benefits
2021-5-20
Three former and serving employees of an airline company have been charged by the ICAC today (May 20) with accepting bribes totalling over HK$98,000 for nominating a woman and her friends as travelling companion to enjoy staff benefits in purchasing air tickets.
The defendants are Lau Ching-man, 34, former flight purser of Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (Cathay Pacific); Lee Chung-fai, 26, and Wong Oi-ting, 31, respectively serving and former flight attendants of Cathay Pacific.
Lau faces four counts 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. Lee and Wong are jointly charged with Lau respectively in two of the charges.
The defendants will appear in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts next Tuesday (May 25) for the case to be transferred to the District Court for plea.
At the material time, Lau was a flight purser of Cathay Pacific, while Lee and Wong were flight attendants of the company. Under the “Companion Travel Scheme” (the Scheme), each employee of Cathay Pacific was allowed to nominate a partner, sibling, family member or a friend to be a travelling companion who would be able to purchase air tickets of Cathay Pacific and its partner airlines at concessionary rates.
Two of the charges allege that on two occasions between January 1, 2018 and February 20, 2019, Lau conspired together with a woman for Lau to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, respectively accept about US$2,600 (about HK$20,000) and at least US$1,500 (about HK$12,000) as an inducement to or reward for Lau to nominate the woman as her travelling companion under the Scheme.
Another charge alleges that between December 17, 2018 and June 19, 2019, Lau and Lee conspired together and with the aforesaid woman for Lee to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept about US$5,000 (about HK$39,000) as an inducement to or reward for Lee to nominate a friend of the woman as Lee’s travelling companion under the Scheme.
The remaining charge alleges that between January 3 and 23, 2019, Lau and Wong conspired together and with the aforesaid woman for Wong to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept about US$3,500 (about HK$27,000) as an inducement to or reward for Wong to nominate another friend of the woman as Wong’s travelling companion under the Scheme.
Cathay Pacific prohibited its staff members from receiving advantages for nominating others as their travelling companions.
It is alleged that as a result of the scheme operated by the three defendants, Cathay Pacific suffered a financial loss of over $1.16 million, involving 75 sectors of tickets.
Cathay Pacific has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
Lau, Lee and Wong have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance next Tuesday.
The defendants are Lau Ching-man, 34, former flight purser of Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (Cathay Pacific); Lee Chung-fai, 26, and Wong Oi-ting, 31, respectively serving and former flight attendants of Cathay Pacific.
Lau faces four counts 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. Lee and Wong are jointly charged with Lau respectively in two of the charges.
The defendants will appear in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts next Tuesday (May 25) for the case to be transferred to the District Court for plea.
At the material time, Lau was a flight purser of Cathay Pacific, while Lee and Wong were flight attendants of the company. Under the “Companion Travel Scheme” (the Scheme), each employee of Cathay Pacific was allowed to nominate a partner, sibling, family member or a friend to be a travelling companion who would be able to purchase air tickets of Cathay Pacific and its partner airlines at concessionary rates.
Two of the charges allege that on two occasions between January 1, 2018 and February 20, 2019, Lau conspired together with a woman for Lau to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, respectively accept about US$2,600 (about HK$20,000) and at least US$1,500 (about HK$12,000) as an inducement to or reward for Lau to nominate the woman as her travelling companion under the Scheme.
Another charge alleges that between December 17, 2018 and June 19, 2019, Lau and Lee conspired together and with the aforesaid woman for Lee to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept about US$5,000 (about HK$39,000) as an inducement to or reward for Lee to nominate a friend of the woman as Lee’s travelling companion under the Scheme.
The remaining charge alleges that between January 3 and 23, 2019, Lau and Wong conspired together and with the aforesaid woman for Wong to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept about US$3,500 (about HK$27,000) as an inducement to or reward for Wong to nominate another friend of the woman as Wong’s travelling companion under the Scheme.
Cathay Pacific prohibited its staff members from receiving advantages for nominating others as their travelling companions.
It is alleged that as a result of the scheme operated by the three defendants, Cathay Pacific suffered a financial loss of over $1.16 million, involving 75 sectors of tickets.
Cathay Pacific has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
Lau, Lee and Wong have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance next Tuesday.