Arrests come after Cathay Pacific mentioned in January it fired two aircrew for allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols.
Hong Kong police mentioned they’ve arrested and charged two former flight attendants over allegations they broke town’s coronavirus guidelines.
The assertion, which was printed late on Monday, didn’t title the airline however the announcement comes after Cathay Pacific mentioned in January it had fired two air crew who have been suspected of breaching COVID-19 protocols.
Police mentioned the 2 had returned to Hong Kong from the US on December 24 and 25 the place they’d “carried out pointless actions” throughout their residence isolation interval.
They each later examined constructive for the fast-spreading Omicron pressure of the coronavirus. If convicted, they may resist six months in jail and a positive of as much as HK$5,000 ($642).
They’ve been launched on bail, with their case scheduled to be heard on February 9.
Hong Kong’s flagship service has confronted blame for the preliminary unfold of Omicron into the group, with chief Carrie Lam singling out Cathay and launching two investigations into the corporate.
Chairman Patrick Healy mentioned the corporate was cooperating with the federal government on the probes, which concentrate on non compliance with coronavirus guidelines and rostering of crew onto cargo flights, based on an inner video to employees that was reviewed by Reuters.
Zero-tolerance strategy
Hong Kong has frequently adjusted its quarantine guidelines for air crew, dramatically tightening them after the Omicron outbreak in late December, main the airline to cancel most of its deliberate passenger and cargo flights in January.
The airline had been struggling to employees many flights even earlier than the principles have been tightened, as some locations relied on pilots volunteering to fly punishing rosters involving 5 weeks locked in resort rooms.
Healy mentioned Cathay’s crew had spent greater than 62,000 nights in Hong Kong’s quarantine inns in 2021, with none contracting COVID-19 for the primary eight months of the yr. All are absolutely vaccinated.
Hong Kong is following mainland China’s zero-tolerance strategy to regulate COVID-19 as the remainder of the world shifts in the direction of dwelling with the coronavirus.
In contrast to the mainland, the worldwide monetary hub is kind of depending on enterprise travellers and imported items