* Article updated 13:27 UTC 18/01/2022 with statement from Cathay Pacific *

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong Kong has become known as one of the strictest areas in terms of its restrictions. Persisting with a 'zero-COVID' strategy, rule breaks are taken very seriously. This has impacted airline operations in the region, with two Cathay Pacific flight attendants having recently been arrested for alleged rule breaches.

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Two recent arrests

Following alleged quarantine violations over the festive period, police in Hong Kong have arrested a pair of Cathay Pacific flight attendants. According to The Guardian, the cabin crew members in question are two males aged 44 and 45 years old. They reportedly returned to Hong Kong from the US on December 24th and 25th last year.

During their period of home isolation, the men are alleged to have "conducted unnecessary activities." Later on, their situations went from bad to worse when they tested positive for the Omicron variant of coronavirus, which is known for its fast-spreading nature.

The Guardian notes that Cathay Pacific fired two crew members this month for protocol breaches. These employees may well be the two arrested men, given that Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, has confirmed that those arrested are former Cathay Pacific staff. She added that "there is evidence showing they have violated [epidemic regulations]."

cathay-pacific-november-2021- traffic-results-Getty
Passenger traffic is up on comparable 2020 levels but still way down on 2019 levels. Photo: Getty Images

A spokesperson for Cathay Pacific confirmed to Simple Flying that "these two individuals are no longer employed by Cathay Pacific. Cathay Pacific is acutely aware of the critical importance of complying with anti-pandemic measures both in Hong Kong and overseas."

Other employees have been let go

Having been treated in hospital and provisionally released on bail, the men will go to court over the matter next month. If the hearings, which are set to take place on February 9th, find them guilty, a prison sentence of up to six months may await them. Additionally, they could be obliged to pay a fine of HK$5,000, which equates to around US$642.

This is not the first instance in which Cathay Pacific has terminated the employment of crew members over breached coronavirus protocols. Indeed, Simple Flying reported in November 2021 that Hong Kong's flag carrier had fired three cargo pilots after contracting COVID-19. They had also breached isolation protocols during a stopover in Frankfurt.

Cathay 747 cargo
Cathay Pacific recently fired three cargo pilots who broke isolation protocols. Photo: Getty Images

Minimal operations at present

The ongoing restrictions in Hong Kong have hampered the recovery of air travel in the region. Cathay Pacific has accrued huge losses as a result, amounting to $2.8 billion in 2020. These continued in 2021, and totaled $973 million for the first half of last year alone.

Cargo traffic at the airline was previously not doing too badly. Indeed, its capacity in this regard being at just over 70% of pre-pandemic levels. However, it has now been cut to just 20%. Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific's passenger operations have fallen further, with just 2% of flights operating this month compared to before the global health crisis struck.

What do you make of the situation in Hong Kong? Will the restrictions hamper Cathay Pacific's recovery chances? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.