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Coronavirus: foreign aircrew refusing to fly to Hong Kong over mandatory Covid-19 testing concerns, sources say
- United Airlines and American Airlines cancel recently resumed services to city
- Pilot unions concerned positive test could throw flight operations into chaos
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Foreign pilots and cabin crew are refusing to fly to Hong Kong over fears of testing positive for Covid-19, as United Airlines and American Airlines (AA) became the first carriers to suspend flights to the city on Thursday over new mandatory-testing rules for aircrew.
The first batch of results from mandatory aircrew tests uncovered four cases, including three locally-based pilots working for Hong Kong Air Cargo, a unit of Hong Kong Airlines, who had just returned from Almaty in Kazakhstan.
“We can confirm that one of the cases testing positive is a Hong Kong Air Cargo crew member who is a HK resident,” a Hong Kong Air Cargo spokeswoman said.
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The Centre for Health Protection classified the cases as imported.
A coalition of European and North American carriers has proposed testing aircrew before they depart for Hong Kong, according to those familiar with the talks.
Airlines are concerned all crews could be quarantined for 14 days if one person tested positive, something flight staff find unacceptable.
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