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Hong Kong’s harsh quarantine policies have sparked discussion at the UK’s aviation watchdog about air safety and the wellbeing of crew, emails reveal. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials broached the issue of safety in November after the entire crew of a BA flight was sent to a quarantine camp in Hong Kong in response to a single crew member testing positive for COVID-19. BA subsequently contacted the CAA seeking an exemption from flight time limits – known as Flight and Duty Time Limitations (FTL) – to avoid laying over in Hong Kong and running the risk of having aircrew quarantined in future, citing concerns about their mental health as well as conditions in the camp. After BA’s request, CAA officials expressed concerns about the impact of Hong Kong’s quarantine policies on aircrews’ mental wellbeing, according to the emails, which were obtained following a freedom of information request. “Have we had any contacts with HKG regarding the ‘incarceration’ of aircrew as described by BA?” a CAA official wrote to a colleague, referring to the Hong Kong government. “Do we have any channels we can explore? The mental well being concern is very real. Driving operators to utilise extended FTL to avoid lay overs [sic] is in nobodies [sic] interest.” In response, the CAA colleague said he agreed the “situation sounds pretty horrendous for crew”. Story has more.<br/>

There are many different places a retired plane can end up in its after life. Some return to the sky to fly for other airlines, others are recycled for parts (around 80 to 85% of an aircraft can be recycled) while a vast number are relocated to aircraft boneyards. One particular decommissioned British Airways jet is gearing up for a very action-packed future after being reborn as a unique events space for hire based at a UK airport. Suzannah Harvey, CE of the privately owned Cotswold Airport near Kemble in England, bought the Negus 747 for GBP1 (around $1.30) back in October 2020 and has spent 14 months or so converting it into a trendy "party plane," with rates starting at about $1,300 an hour. A vast number of 747s have been decommissioned as airlines bring forward retirement dates for older aircraft due to the pandemic, with KLM, Air France, Delta, United and British Airways all retiring their 747 fleets in the past two years. Harvey came up with the idea for the events facility as various retired BA 747s arrived at storage and parts company Air Salvage International, which happens to be located at Cotswold Airport, and promptly went to the UK flag carrier with her proposal. However, the process was far from simple. In fact, the sale involved weeks of negotiations during which BA agreed that the economy section of the plane could be removed and Harvey vowed to ensure that the aircraft would be well looked after. "It took six weeks to do the negotiations for the contract," Harvey said. "We have a duty of care to maintain her until it is uneconomically viable with any deterioration. But hopefully, she'll be with us for many years and generations to come."<br/>