HONG KONG, Aug 13 — Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways said it had suspended with immediate effect today a second officer operating flight CX216 for misuse of company information, and had also commenced internal disciplinary proceedings.

The flight was yesterday, it said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

The airline got caught in the tussle between Beijing and pro-democracy groups in the Asian financial hub on Friday after China’s civil aviation regulator demanded the airline suspend personnel who engaged in or supported illegal protests in Hong Kong from staffing flights into its airspace.

The airline over the weekend moved to comply with the demand from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), suspending a pilot arrested during anti-government protests in Hong Kong and firing two airport employees citing misconduct. — Reuters