"They need to ensure that companies comply with these guidelines and that there are punitive measures when companies discriminate against people with disabilities," Wong told CNN. HK Express said in a statement that "due to differing judgments made by the ground staff and aircrew," the case was escalated to management for assessment and the "additional time required" to decide had led to the pair being "unable to travel on the original flight." The Hong Kong-based carrier is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific, which was recently crowned the world's fifth-best airline.