The tickets, being given away by Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., were available from midday local time. Within 60 minutes, the website had reverted to a message saying all tickets had already been awarded, with winners to be announced on March 20.

“We are very encouraged by the enthusiastic response from our Cathay members who registered for the “World of Winners” ticket offers campaign in Singapore today,” Cathay said. “The 12,500 round-trip tickets on offer were allocated within the first hour.”

Cathay added that its website had functioned well during the registration period.

Successful applicants will however have to pay for the taxes and surcharges. A Bloomberg News search on the Cathay mobile app in May for round-trip tickets from Singapore to Hong Kong showed those came to around S$195 ($145).

The giveaway is part of Hong Kong’s 500,000 free ticket bonanza aimed at bringing back tourists to the Asian financial hub. On Wednesday, the city formally ended its outdoor mask mandate after 945 days, one of the very last remaining Covid measures.

People in the Philippines will be next in line to grab their share of free tickets. The country has been allocated 20,400 round trips, which will be up for grabs on Friday.

CATHAY FREEBIE SCHEDULE (NO. OF TICKETS)

Thailand - From March 1 (17,400)
Singapore - March 2 - 8 (12,500)
The Philippines - March 3 - 9 (20,400)
Indonesia - March 15 - 21 (11,510)
Malaysia - March 16 - 22 (7,000)
Vietnam - March 17 - 23 (8,800)
Cambodia - March 18 - 24 (2,390)