Hong Kong (AFP)

A climate of fear has instilled in the Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific, dragged last week in the unprecedented political crisis that shakes the Chinese semi-autonomous territory, while Beijing tightens the screw to any company suspected of sympathy for the pro-democracy movement.

Last week, Cathay Pacific provoked the ire of Chinese nationalists after some of its 27,000 employees took part in pro-democracy demonstrations or expressed their support for the movement.

Cathay's leaders hastened to reassure Beijing by distancing themselves from pro-democracy mobilization, promising to fire any employee supporting or participating in "illegal demonstrations."

Since then, the company has fired two employees and suspended a driver related to the events.

Now some staff report a climate of fear and suspicion within the group, while many fear being spied on by colleagues seeking their political views.

- Colleagues are spying -

"I feel like we're silenced, we can not even show support for the pro-democracy movement on social media," complained an airline steward named Cat with AFP.

"Many colleagues say that people could send lists of supporters of illegal demonstrations to (the direction of) the company," she adds, "it really scares everyone."

Added to this, mass protests at Hong Kong International Airport, one of the world's most active, have caused hundreds of flight cancellations over the past two days.

Cathay did not need that, as the company is just starting to recover after two years in the red.

The group announced last Wednesday a net profit of 1.63 billion Hong Kong dollars (185 million euros) for the first half of the year, against a loss of 263 million HKD in the first half of 2018.

- Vulnerable to boycott -

The Hong Kong airline has even been targeted by the Chinese state media.

"The four sins of Cathay Pacific Airlines," titled People's Daily, the press organ of the ruling Communist Party, listing the actions of the group's staff considered favorable to the protest movement.

The General Directorate of Chinese Civil Aviation on Friday demanded the names of personnel on board its flights to China, or who cross its airspace.

Cathay said she would abide by the new rules, effective Sunday.

Monday at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the title of the airline plunged 4.37% after the announcement and further down 2.6% Tuesday.

Analysts say Cathay is very vulnerable to any boycott of Beijing.

"They are extremely dependent on the Chinese mainland market," said Brendan Sobie, an industry analyst with the Center for Aviation, saying that a fifth of the airline's flights are to or from the mainland, while Chinese passengers represent about 80 % of passengers on flights to other markets.

Calls to boycott the company have spread to social networks and the hasthag #BoycottCathayPacific appeared last week on the site Weibo generated until Wednesday more than 45 million views.

- "Cathay Pathetic" -

In the face of Beijing's anger, Cathay tries to limit the damage. Swire Pacific - a Hong Kong-based conglomerate and largest shareholder in Cathay - issued a statement saying "strongly support" the Hong Kong government and "share" the vision of the Chinese central government.

"We strongly support the semi-autonomous Hong Kong government, the head of the executive and the police in their efforts to restore public order," the company said, saying it would comply with all the regulations imposed on him by Beijing.

Cathay issued a similar statement on Tuesday: "We must act now to end the violence and preserve the stability, peace and prosperity of Hong Kong".

Experts point out that the carrier had no choice but to distance itself unequivocally.

"Regardless of personal feelings, this is a publicly traded company, they have to be accountable to their shareholders, and Chinese business is crucial to them," said an industry analyst who wanted 'anonymity.

Chinese dissident artist Badiucao, based in Australia, does not care about a caricature quickly turned viral, summarizing the sentiment of the pro-democracy movement and renaming the airline "Cathay Pathetic" - the C transformed into a hammer and sickle, Communist emblems.

© 2019 AFP