港龍停止營運
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways announced on October 21 that it would lay off nearly a quarter of its workforce and end its regional Cathay Dragon brand immediately. The airline has seen a sharp fall in passenger numbers due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
10月21日，香港國泰航空公司宣布將裁掉近四分之一的員工，旗下區域航空品牌港龍航空也將立即停止營運，原因是香港抗議活動和新冠肺炎疫情導致載客量暴跌。
lay off 解雇=dismiss=let goa sharp or steep fall 急遽下滑、急遽下跌
Cathay Pacific was already struggling with losses before the pandemic as the protests in Hong Kong last year had led to a significant decrease in traffic to the city.
國泰航空在疫情前就虧損嚴重，因為去年香港的抗議活動導致載客量大幅減少，
struggle with…遭遇(困難、問題等);因…而苦苦掙扎著lead to=result in=give rise to導致a significant decrease大幅減少=a considerable drop
Then the coronavirus pandemic added fuel to the fire by cutting international travel even more due to border closures.
接著新冠肺炎疫情爆發火上加油，許多國家紛紛封鎖邊境，導致全球旅行人次大幅縮減。
add fuel to the fire 火上加油、雪上加霜=make matters worse=worse the situationborder closures(國家)關閉邊境lockdown封城
In September, the airline’s passenger numbers plunged by 98.1% compared with the same period last year.
今年9月，國泰航空載客量相較於去年同期驟減了98.1％。
plunge(v.)(n.)暴跌、驟降=fall steeply=fall sharply=plummet=slumpcompared with~相較於…=compared to~
Despite a NT$117 billion rescue package from the Hong Kong government, Cathay Pacific announced that drastic measures were necessary to keep the company’s finances sustainable.
儘管港府向國泰注資1170億新台幣，國泰航空還是宣布必須採取激烈手段，才能讓公司的財務狀況撐下去。
despite(prep.)儘管;雖然=in spite ofrescue package救濟方案;紓困方案=bailoutdrastic(adj.)激烈的、劇烈的、嚴重的=extreme=radicalfinances(n.)(公司或個人的)財務狀況、經濟狀況sustainable(adj.)可持續的、支撐得住的、承受得住的sustainable agriculture永續型農業
The company said it would cut 8,500 positions, or 24% of its normal workforce. Its regional Cathay Dragon brand was shut down immediately.
國泰表示將裁員8千5百人，約佔24％集團總職位。同時，國泰港龍航空將立即停止營運。
Employees to be let go were shocked at the news. Even though rumors of job cuts had been around for months, no one expected the entire airline would be closed.
即將被裁的員工對此消息感到震驚，儘管裁員的傳聞已流傳數月之久，但沒有人想到竟會整間公司關閉。
to be let go=to be laid off=to be dismissed即將被解僱的even though僅管
The company will also seek changes in its contracts with the remaining staff.
公司也在向留下來的員工的爭取合約變更。
seek(v.)尋求=try to obtain sth. =work toward sth.
As Hong Kong’s unemployment rate is at a record high within the past 15 years, the remaining staff will likely end up accepting whatever they are offered.
由於香港的失業率處於15年來的新高，留任的員工最終可能也只得接受公司開出的任何條件。
unemployment rate失業率=jobless rateat a record high=at a historic high=at an unprecedented highwhatever they are offered=anything (or any conditions) that they are offered無論是什麼樣的(條件)
Other international airlines, such as Singapore Airlines and Australia’s Qantas Airways, have also announced large pay cuts in order to weather the Covid-19 crisis.
其它國際航空公司，例如新加坡航空和澳洲航空，為撐過疫情危機也宣布大幅減薪。
pay cuts=salary reductions減薪weather(v.)(風雨、困難等)經受得住、平安渡過weather a storm安然渡過暴風weather a crisis安然渡過危機
With coronavirus cases still surging around the world, the future remains uncertain for air traffic.
如今世界各地新冠肺炎病例仍在激增中，航空業的前景仍難以預料。
with coronavirus cases still surging…=as coronavirus cases are still surging…surge(v.)激增;猛增=increase rapidlyuncertain(adj.)(情勢、狀況)不確定的、不明朗的、難以預料的=unknown=in limbo=up in the air
The International Air Transport Association predicts that passenger traffic will not recover until 2024.
國際航空運輸協會預測，直到2024年載客量才會恢復。
not…until…