(Reuters) – Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways (OTC:) Ltd has fired three cargo pilots who had been contaminated with COVID-19 throughout a layover in Frankfurt, over an unspecified “critical breach” of crew guidelines whereas abroad, the South China Morning Submit reported.

The newspaper stated on Thursday the corporate didn’t reveal the breach however a supply stated the pilots had been suspected of leaving their lodge rooms in Germany.

Cathay didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The incident led to greater than 150 different Cathay workers, together with pilots and flight attendants, and plenty of family members and group contacts being despatched to a authorities quarantine facility for 3 weeks, SCMP reported.

Hong Kong has recorded barely any native coronavirus circumstances in current months however authorities within the world monetary hub have tightened up quarantine guidelines.

Hong Kong is following Beijing’s lead in retaining strict journey curbs, in distinction to a world development of opening up and dwelling with the coronavirus. The town authorities hopes the tighter guidelines would persuade China, its principal supply of financial development, to steadily open its border with Hong Kong.

After the pilot circumstances had been reported final week, Cathay stated it might step up compliance checks at abroad ports to make sure well being and security protocols had been being strictly adopted throughout layovers.

All of Cathay’s crew have acquired COVID-19 vaccines and the airline stated it might require a booster dose as properly.

Hong Kong’s strict guidelines, which embrace as much as three weeks of lodge quarantine for arrivals, have led to a plunge in journey demand.

Cathay stated this week it operated in October at solely 10% of the pre-pandemic passenger capability and posted a 97.2% decline in passenger numbers from 2019.

Nonetheless, cargo demand has been much more strong and the airline achieved near working money break-even for the interval from July to October.