FedEx pilots call on company to suspend Hong Kong flights over quarantines
FedEx pilots have called on the company to suspend operations to Hong Kong for what they see as “unacceptable conditions” after crew who tested positive for the virus were hospitalised.
Pilots from the FedEx Express unit of the Air Line Pilots Association said three pilots who tested positive for the virus but showed no symptoms had been hospitalised in the city for up to 10 days.
The comments from the pilots group came as the city reported 106 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, marking the seventh consecutive day of more than 100 new infections.
Hong Kong had received praise for its earlier handling of the pandemic but was this week forced to tighten restrictions on air crew and sea crew after experts said loopholes allowing these groups to enter the city without quarantines had sparked a third wave of infections.
Sophia Chan, secretary for food and health, said on a radio programme on Tuesday that evidence now suggested the outbreak could be linked to the quarantine exemptions, reversing earlier government statements.
From Wednesday, air crew will need to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test taken within 48 hours of departure or be tested on arrival.
Sea crew will only be permitted to travel between their ships and the airport, and crew from ships that are not delivering cargo to Hong Kong will not be permitted to enter the territory.
The surge in infections has forced the government to introduce its strictest measures to halt the spread of the virus, limiting restaurants to take-out service only. People are now required to wear masks at all times when outside their homes.
The FedEx pilots group said other pilots who had been in contact with persons who tested positive for the virus had been placed in government quarantine, in what the group described as “difficult conditions”.
“Not only do these situations pose unacceptable risks to our pilots’ safety and wellbeing, but they also create added stress and distraction for flight operations,” said Dave Chase, master executive council chairman for FedEx ALPA.
Elsewhere in the region, Singapore requires air crew on layovers in the city state to remain at their designated accommodation at all times.
A FedEx pilot was given a four-week prison sentence in Singapore in May for leaving his hotel to buy medical supplies.