Dear Mr Wongsaisuwan

Thank you for your facsimile of 23 March 2009 advising us of your
experience prior to flight CX 703 from Hong Kong to Bangkok on 22 March
2009.

We are sorry to learn that due to overbooking of this flight, you could
not be issued boarding pass right away and we hope you will accept our
sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Unfortunately, overbooking of flights is a reality of the airline
industry, and sadly we were confronted with such a situation on the
above-mentioned flight. Please allow us to explain that for every
flight, there is a percentage of passengers who fail to show up and in
order to ensure that the maximum number of passengers wishing to travel
are accommodated, all airlines overbook a certain number of seats.
Regrettably, there are occasions when our estimates do not hold true and
unfortunately, as a result of overbooking, our staff may have to look
for volunteers to be transferred to another flight, if need be.
Passengers may be asked to come back to the check-in counter at a
certain time to find the arrangement, and eventually, they may or may
not be required to transfer to another flight.

Furthermore, having checked with the relevant department we have been
advised that in view of the above situation, you were informed that
probably you would be transferred on Thai Airways flight TG 607. In the
mean while you were offered a meal voucher and advised to return at the
same counter at 1745 hours, as by this time we would have actually come
to know if there was a need for you to be transferred on to the TG
flight or not. For your information, at 1745 hours, CX 703 still had
seats available and so you and your travel companion were reinstated for
the said flight. The schedule time of departure of this flight was1820
hours, unfortunately, when you returned at the counter at 1810 hours (as
per our records), due to the imminent departure of the flight we were
unable to accept you. Thus, you were protected on TG 607 / 22 March
2009.

Nevertheless, we apologise if you felt that there was some kind of
miscommunication and if our staff failed to handle the situation
efficiently. Please rest assured that your comments regarding the staff
and the handling of the situation, have been forwarded to the relevant
department manager, who in turn, will follow up accordingly and take
this opportunity to remind the team about the importance of customer
care. For your information, the staff concerned will be counselled with
regards to their performance to ensure that they appreciate the means by
which improvements should be made.

We appreciate your taking the time to bring this matter to our
attention, and it is hoped that the foregoing has helped clarify
matters. May we take this opportunity to thank you for choosing Cathay
Pacific and we hope your future flights with us will be totally
seamless.