Hong Kong’s flag carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways, has suddenly announced plans to revamp its membership policy, prompting criticism from customers who have accused the airline of prioritising top-tier clients.

In a press release on Wednesday, the airline stated it would introduce several changes aimed at enhancing the experience for its members. These include a new “Diamond Exec” tier and the removal of certain benefits for customers beyond a specific status level.

“We are evolving the Cathay membership programme with our current and future members in mind, offering them a smoother, simpler and better membership experience,” said Vivian Lo, Cathay’s director of customer lifestyle.

“By simplifying the path to higher status and providing greater flexibility for members in new ways, members can look forward to progressing with greater ease and enjoying a more rewarding journey that truly elevates their lives.”

The newly introduced “Cathay Diamond Exec” tier offers perks such as a dedicated relationship manager and four single-sector upgrade passes.

Additional adjustments include no longer resetting customer status points to zero after an upgrade, standardising the membership cycle to the calendar year, and allowing excess status point rollover to the following year for passengers at gold tier or above.

However, starting in 2027, Cathay will remove mid-status benefits for gold and diamond tier members. For example, gold members will no longer receive two business class lounge passes after earning 800 status points or four bookable upgrades upon reaching 1,000 status points.