‘Huge safety issue’: Hong Kong pilots’ warning over COVID rules
Aviation Safety Asia’s Senior Consultant and Auditor Mr Trevor Bock along with numerous aircrew (speaking on condition of anonymity) warn aviation hub’s harsh quarantine policies are damaging mental health.
Extract:
‘Prison-like conditions’
Trevor Bock, a safety consultant for Aviation Safety Asia, told Al Jazeera conditions were causing stress and psychological issues that posed a concern “in a role requiring high performance and concentration levels”.
“These prison-like conditions – being isolated to hotel rooms down-route and on return from a trip – are now having a cumulative fatigue and stress effect on pilots,” said Bock, whose consultancy has offices in Hong Kong and Australia.
“Many have been enduring such for up to two years now – particularly cargo pilots – and this not only affects morale, but also motivation, dedication and in turn, can lead to complacency and reduced levels of alertness/concentration at crucial times.”
Under a “zero COVID” policy designed to align with mainland China, Hong Kong has transformed from one of the world’s busiest travel hubs into one of its most isolated cities. Despite the rollout of vaccines over the last year, the city has repeatedly tightened border restrictions and quarantine rules with little or no advance warning.
You can read the full story published by Al Jazeera on 7 Jan 2022 below
Al Jazeera Article Link