Cathay Pacific Airways’ handover of crew details ‘satisfies mainland Chinese regulator’
- CAAC official says submission meets warning requirements
- Hong Kong’s flagship carrier has come under pressure from the body, which banned any crew involved in illegal protests from mainland skies
Cathay Pacific Airways’ handover of details on crew working in mainland Chinese airspace has met the requirements of the country’s aviation regulator, a senior official says, as the airline submitted a report to the authorities to show how it will strengthen its safety and security.
Gu Xiaohong, deputy head of the general department of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), said on Thursday the submission had satisfied requirements, easing pressure on Hong Kong’s largest airline.
However, Cathay did not clarify what information it had submitted in response to the three demands the CAAC stipulated last Friday. The regulator’s unprecedented move was widely seen as a warning over the airline’s earlier ambivalence to the anti-government protests in Hong Kong in spite of some high-profile actions involving its employees.
The regulator’s comments came as it emerged that Hong Kong Airlines had dismissed a worker in relation to the protest movement. The employee’s last day was Thursday. Cathay has fired four staff in protest-related dismissals.
The remarks by Gu were the first time the aviation regulator had commented on Cathay Pacific since its move to implement strict rules on the company.