World's first long-haul budget airline cancels inaugural Hong Kong flight

0 Comments | AFP, October, 2006

HONG KONG (AFP) — Oasis Airlines, the world's first long-haul budget airline, has been forced to cancel its inaugural flight from Hong Kong after failing to obtain rights to fly over Russian aerospace. "It's extremely unfortunate and we are very disappointed. We are doing all we can to resolve the problem," Oasis commercial director Ken Chad told AFP Wednesday.

Chad said the carrier is seeking to fly again to London's Gatwick Airport on Thursday afternoon and is looking at alternative routes if it still fails to get approval from the Russian authorities. Oasis was forced to abort its flight after 300 passengers, including the carrier's chairman Raymond Lee and chief executive Stephen Miller, were stuck in one of its two Boeing 747 jumbos for nearly six hours due to a...