Former Cathay Pacific employee sentenced for bribery that aided human smuggling

Former Cathay Pacific customer‑service officer Xu Yingjie, aged 45, was convicted of accepting bribes to collude with a human‑smuggling syndicate that funneled mainland travellers through Hong Kong International Airport in 2008‑2009. He used the airline’s computer system to expedite check‑ins and supplied security data, receiving HK$1.5 million in total. After being released on bail in August 2009, Xu failed to report, fled for 16 years and was apprehended upon his return from Mainland China in July 2025. He pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to accept benefits, and the court sentenced him to 20 months imprisonment and ordered him to compensate Cathay Pacific HK$18 000. The judge noted the long delay since the offences and limited any further sentence reduction for his late plea.