Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways said it had fired three cargo pilots who were infected with COVID-19 during a layover in Frankfurt, over an unspecified “serious breach” of crew rules while overseas.
In a statement, the airline said: “The individuals concerned are no longer employed by Cathay Pacific.”
The South China Morning Post, which first reported the firings, cited a source as saying the pilots were suspected of leaving their hotel rooms in Germany.
The discovery of the infections led to more than 150 other Cathay employees, including pilots and flight attendants, as well as many household members and community contacts being sent to a government quarantine facility for three weeks.
All of Cathay’s crew have received COVID-19 vaccines and the airline said it would require a booster dose as well.
