Cathay Pacific (HKG:0293) has offered Hong Kong-based cabin crew voluntary unpaid leave of up to three months for a second consecutive quarter, the first such back-to-back move since the pandemic, South China Morning Post reported Tuesday, citing an internal memo.

Applications are open for October to December, following a first round from July to September, the report said.

Cathay said the short-term arrangement aims to give crew greater flexibility to meet personal needs, particularly during the year-end festive season, it added.

The carrier last introduced similar long-duration voluntary leave during the 2020 pandemic downturn, according to SCMP.

The move comes after Cathay's announcement of a 1.1% year-on-year increase in first-half net profit to HK$3.65 billion and plans to order 14 Boeing 777-9 aircraft.

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