Cathay Pacific looks at asking Hong Kong pilots to live abroad as quarantine bites

Cathay Pacific is considering asking pilots to live outside of Hong Kong for several months, as the airline is forced to examine more radical measures to operate under the city’s strict Covid-19 quarantine policy. Hong Kong’s approach, which business chiefs have warned could cripple the economy, is the latest threat to the city’s de facto flag carrier. The government has committed to the policy of zero Covid cases in an effort to open the city’s border with mainland China and its leaders have said strict health controls are necessary. Most incoming travellers are required to quarantine in a hotel for two to three weeks, with officials offering a few controversial exemptions, including for actress Nicole Kidman and this week to Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan’s CE. Cathay’s cabin crew and pilots have already been observing a series of rostering and health measures to minimise their exposure to the virus abroad, but the carrier said on Tuesday it might need to go further and have Hong Kong-based employees live outside the city for two to four months. “We are exploring options and seeking expressions of interest from pilots to participate in temporary extended roster patterns,” Cathay said. The decision by Cathay, owned by the colonial-era Swire conglomerate, to examine more radical options comes as more than 100 pilots were forced to isolate, risking supply of air freight into the city. Three pilots have tested positive for Covid over the past week, prompting action from health authorities.<br/>