News Forum - 3 Cathay Pacific pilots broke Covid-19 rules, got fired and infected

[Thaiger]

After what Cathay Pacific described as a serious breach of pandemic regulations, 3 cargo pilots were fired after becoming infected with Covid-19 and putting many others at risk. An internal investigation found the pilots for Hong Kong’s flagship airline broke Covid-19 safety rules while abroad in Frankfurt, Germany. The airline is known for being very proactive about Covid-19 safety and may have been the first to fire staff for refusing to be vaccinated. Cathay released a statement regarding the firings on Thursday but did not specify the exact details of what the serious breach was, though insiders suspect they left […]

The story 3 Cathay Pacific pilots broke Covid-19 rules, got fired and infected as seen on Thaiger News.

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[HolyCowCm]

Is this Cathay or the CCP?

[Shade_Wilder]

This is the first of what I am 100% certain will be a slew of up-coming similar stories; I doubt that many companies are going to put up with the medical cost of having unvaccinated staff much longer. Simply put, why would they?

For those that don't want to get vaccinated, you are not going to be happy. The best that I can think of is that you'll have to tolerate cotton buds being shoved up your nose (Quick test) on a very regular basis (several times a week?); the worst is losing your job. And, by the way, I hope that you aren't interested in travelling anywhere.

It is pure speculation on my part, but does anyone think that Thai Immigration is NOT going to insist on vaccination in order to have a long stay visa approved? Anyone?

Like it or not, it is a brave new world.

 

Edited November 20, 2021 by Shade_Wilder

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

This is the first of what I am 100% certain will be a slew of up-coming similar stories; I doubt that many companies are going to put up with the medical cost of having unvaccinated staff much longer. Simply put, why would they?

For those that don't want to get vaccinated, you are not going to be happy. The best that I can think of is that you'll have to tolerate cotton buds being shoved up your nose (Quick test) on a very regular basis (several times a week?); the worst is losing your job. And, by the way, I hope that you aren't interested in travelling anywhere.

It is pure speculation on my part, but does anyone think that Thai Immigration is NOT going to insist on vaccination in order to have a long stay visa approved? Anyone?

Like it or not, it is a brave new world.

Agreed, @Shade_Wilder, but all three were vaccinated.

It also shows how mild Thailand's rules on mandatory quarantine in state facilities are compared with some, despite all the complaints here:  not only were those with any contact with the three pilots  quarantined in state facilities (not at home), but so were their contacts' contacts - all regardless of whether they tested positive or not. Over 350, so well over 100 quarantined for each pilot that tested positive.

[AlexPTY]

Karma

[Bluesofa]

3 hours ago, Stonker said:

Agreed, @Shade_Wilder, but all three were vaccinated.

It also shows how mild Thailand's rules on mandatory quarantine in state facilities are compared with some, despite all the complaints here:  not only were those with any contact with the three pilots  quarantined in state facilities (not at home), but so were their contacts' contacts - all regardless of whether they tested positive or not. Over 350, so well over 100 quarantined for each pilot that tested positive.

Have I missed something? I can't see where it said they were all vaccinated.
I'm not making a smart-arsed comment, but I just can't see where it mentions it in the article.

[Shark]

6 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

This is the first of what I am 100% certain will be a slew of up-coming similar stories; I doubt that many companies are going to put up with the medical cost of having unvaccinated staff much longer. Simply put, why would they?

For those that don't want to get vaccinated, you are not going to be happy. The best that I can think of is that you'll have to tolerate cotton buds being shoved up your nose (Quick test) on a very regular basis (several times a week?); the worst is losing your job. And, by the way, I hope that you aren't interested in travelling anywhere.

It is pure speculation on my part, but does anyone think that Thai Immigration is NOT going to insist on vaccination in order to have a long stay visa approved? Anyone?

Like it or not, it is a brave new world.

Recently a family friend got infected with C19 and luckily he infected 3 of his co-workers whom where sharing a ride. The fun fact is... the 3 co-workers where vaccinated the family 'friend' wasn't and appears to be so that the virus was capable of mutating in a way that he made all 3 sick and they all ended in the hospital. The most severe in this case was the family friend.... whom as a result of this can and hopefully will get fired from his job. He simply put 3 co-workers at risk by his choice.

from an Employer perspective:
Next-year when we hopefully reopen we will ask all our staff to show proof of vaccination, no have no job. Easy. They know this already and we will be recruiting new staff too as some don't want to be vaccinated and that's that choice.

Edited November 20, 2021 by Shark
employer-perspective

[Stonker]

20 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

Have I missed something? I can't see where it said they were all vaccinated.
I'm not making a smart-arsed comment, but I just can't see where it mentions it in the article.

You're right, @Bluesofa, it doesn't mention it "in the article" although it says "the airline is known for being very proactive about Covid-19 safety and may have been the first to fire staff for refusing to be vaccinated", but it's confirmed by the SCMP, Reuters, etc.

All Cathay aircrew have had to be vaccinated, no exceptions, for several months. 

[Cathat]

All the crew were vaccinated.

They are supposed to stay in their rooms alone at all times during lay overs including meals at present.

There is some alleged evidence (I believe hotel CCTV footage) to suggest that the 3 of them exited the stop over hotel and returned some time later.

If the evidence is credible they have knowingly broken company protocol.

They would normally be suspended while things were looked into further however in this case they have been fired immediately.

For the company to take such drastic and immediate action tends to suggest the evidence against them is very credible.

 

[HiuMak]

19 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

Is this Cathay or the CCP?

Isn't HK CCP?

[thjames]

 (im in HK) im hearing (rumour not fact!) they went for job interviews at other airline.  hence they lied where they were... 

[palooka]

6 minutes ago, thjames said:

 (im in HK) im hearing (rumour not fact!) they went for job interviews at other airline.  hence they lied where they were... 

Who would blame them, the Chinese political changes would not encourage me to stay there either. 

[HolyCowCm]

2 hours ago, HiuMak said:

Isn't HK CCP?

Yes, Unfortunately it is now absorbed as XI commie land.

[NidNoi]

14 hours ago, Cathat said:

All the crew were vaccinated.

They are supposed to stay in their rooms alone at all times during lay overs including meals at present.

There is some alleged evidence (I believe hotel CCTV footage) to suggest that the 3 of them exited the stop over hotel and returned some time later.

If the evidence is credible they have knowingly broken company protocol.

They would normally be suspended while things were looked into further however in this case they have been fired immediately.

For the company to take such drastic and immediate action tends to suggest the evidence against them is very credible.

Cathay found a way to fire the 3 Cargo pilots while telling the world they have a safe policy and do apply very strict rules.

The fact is Cathay had to get rid of hundred pilots after closing many of its foreign hubs and had to relocate them to Hong Kong. One way to get rid of them was to cancel their work visa or not renewed it. This was done by Hong Kong Immigration authority. After the absorption of Dragon Rapidair they had too many pilots while the passenger traffic shrunk to 10% of its pre-pandemic surviving only by its cargo operations. These 3 pilots could have been infected anywhere before their flight to Europe, inside dispatchers’ offices in Frankfurt, in the company shuttle that drove them to the hotel or by a hotel’s employee, etc…

To investigate their pilots’ activity by requiring to visualize the CCTV footages was the best way to fire them without indemnities.

https://loyaltylobby.com/2021/09/30/cathay-pacific-pilots-contracts-terminated-after-hong-kong-authorities-reject-work-visa-application/

[Pinetree]

3 minutes ago, NidNoi said:

Cathay found a way to fire the 3 Cargo pilots while telling the world they have a safe policy and do apply very strict rules.

The fact is Cathay had to get rid of hundred pilots after closing many of its foreign hubs and had to relocate them to Hong Kong. One way to get rid of them was to cancel their work visa or not renewed it. This was done by Hong Kong Immigration authority. After the absorption of Dragon Rapidair they had too many pilots while the passenger traffic shrunk to 10% of its pre-pandemic surviving only by its cargo operations. These 3 pilots could have been infected anywhere before their flight to Europe, inside dispatchers’ offices in Frankfurt, in the company shuttle that drove them to the hotel or by a hotel’s employee, etc…

To investigate their pilots’ activity by requiring to visualize the CCTV footages was the best way to fire them without indemnities.

https://loyaltylobby.com/2021/09/30/cathay-pacific-pilots-contracts-terminated-after-hong-kong-authorities-reject-work-visa-application/

I did reply, but deleted it as I would be banned.  'You are incorrect in your assertions',  is about as mild as I can make it. 

[nobusinessofurs]

1 hour ago, Pinetree said:

I did reply, but deleted it as I would be banned.  'You are incorrect in your assertions',  is about as mild as I can make it. 

Sounds about right to me, maybe Pinetree can offer more Intel

[Pinetree]

15 minutes ago, nobusinessofurs said:

Sounds about right to me, maybe Pinetree can offer more Intel

Cathay have done pretty well during the pandemic, by stopping all cadet pilot recruitment/ training, closing their academy in Australia, offering early retirement to older pilots, recruiting young Second Officers with low hours but potential,  closing Dragón Air and furloughing cabin staff. Cargo has gone on mainly uninterrupted for all large airlines. The staff were sacked for violating the airline's covid rules, simple really. 

[Jason]

Shouldn't the headline read that they were infected and then fired?? I can't imagine you would be fired...then infected.....

[Manu]

19 hours ago, Cathat said:

All the crew were vaccinated.

They are supposed to stay in their rooms alone at all times during lay overs including meals at present.

There is some alleged evidence (I believe hotel CCTV footage) to suggest that the 3 of them exited the stop over hotel and returned some time later.

If the evidence is credible they have knowingly broken company protocol.

They would normally be suspended while things were looked into further however in this case they have been fired immediately.

For the company to take such drastic and immediate action tends to suggest the evidence against them is very credible.

It is insane. So these 3 guys are vaccinated, went out for a few hours and came back infected. Are these pilots when they are off work allowed to actually leave their home at all? Many more of these mad stories for years to come.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Manu

[Pinetree]

7 minutes ago, Manu said:

It is insane. So these 3 guys are vaccinated, went out for a few hours and came back infected. Are these pilots when they are off work allowed to actually leave their home at all? Many more of these mad stories for years to come.

They broke the airline's rules, end of. 

[Stonker]

4 hours ago, Manu said:

It is insane. So these 3 guys are vaccinated, went out for a few hours and came back infected. Are these pilots when they are off work allowed to actually leave their home at all? Many more of these mad stories for years to come.

They broke Cathay's rules and also broke the regulations for aircrew in Germany, resulting in close to 400 people being quarantined in Hong Kong, so they were fired.

Nothing "insane" about that.

[Manu]

10 hours ago, Stonker said:

They broke Cathay's rules and also broke the regulations for aircrew in Germany, resulting in close to 400 people being quarantined in Hong Kong, so they were fired.

Nothing "insane" about that.

You have to be insane not to see that everything is insane about that.

[Manu]

16 hours ago, Pinetree said:

They broke the airline's rules, end of. 

Inhuman rules eventually get broken by humans. 

[Pinetree]

2 hours ago, Manu said:

Inhuman rules eventually get broken by humans. 

If pilots, of all people. can't follow rules laid down by their airline, good or bad, they should be sacked. Well done Cathay

[BraveNewFahrenheit]

13 hours ago, Stonker said:

Nothing "insane" about that.

Absolutely everything is insane about this...never ending nightmare.