Former Cathay Pacific pilot looks to take Hong Kong civil aviation chief to court over refusal to give medical clearance
Pilot files judicial review application after he was diagnosed with ‘problematic use of alcohol’ in November 2013 and failed a biomarker test in 2016, which he claims cost him millions in lost salary
A former Cathay Pacific Airways pilot is taking Hong Kong’s director general of civil aviation to court to challenge a decision to suspend his medical certificate, which he claims cost him HK$2.6 million (US$330,000) in lost salary.
Leelan Rukesh Marasinghe said in a judicial review application filed to the High Court on Tuesday that he had been subject to bias and unreasonableness when the director general continued to suspend his Hong Kong Class One medical certificate on April 25 this year.
The applicant is now seeking a court order to quash that decision, as well as a declaration that there was no reasonable grounds or basis for the decision.
A valid Hong Kong Class One medical certificate issued by the director general on behalf of the chief executive is necessary for a licensed pilot to operate an aircraft registered in the city.
The writ said Marasinghe was a commercial aircraft pilot who joined Cathay Pacific in 2005. He was diagnosed with “problematic use of alcohol” in November 2013.
