Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2025

Hong Kong’s zero-COVID strategy damaging hub’s aviation industry, says Qatar Airways chief

Hong Kong’s zero-COVID strategy damaging hub’s aviation industry, says Qatar Airways chief

Hong Kong’s strict adherence to a zero-COVID strategy is damaging the hub’s aviation industry and “killing” Cathay Pacific, a major shareholder in the city’s home carrier told local media.
Following Beijing’s lead, Hong Kong has maintained some of the world’s strictest quarantine measures and travel curbs, which has kept the city coronavirus-free but internationally isolated.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker took issue with a border-control rule that temporarily bans airlines that have brought in infected passengers.

“You can’t just shut the aviation industry (down) because somebody got infected coming in (on) someone’s aeroplane,” he told the South China Morning Post.

Al-Baker added that he was “a little disappointed” that Hong Kong has remained closed, and he had expected a major part of Cathay's fleet to be flying again.

Qatar Airways is Cathay’s third-largest shareholder, with a 9.6 percent stake purchased for HK$5.16 billion ($661 million) in 2017.

Under Hong Kong’s rules, if an airline brings in too many infected passengers on a particular route, it is banned from flying that route for two weeks.

Those rules have been tightened over fears of the omicron variant, which Hong Kong has recorded 14 cases of as of Friday.

Qatar Airways has been banned five times since November 2020, according to the SCMP.

Last month, British Airways announced it was suspending Hong Kong flights after crew members were required to quarantine following a positive COVID-19 test among the staff.

Earlier this month, AFP reported that Cathay has been hit by a wave of pilot resignations, with employees citing exhaustion and growing resentment.

Some Cathay flights operate on a closed-loop system, requiring pilots to spend weeks shuttling within plane-to-hotel bubbles to avoid triggering quarantine when they return.

Global delivery giant FedEx said last month that it would relocate its pilots overseas and shut down its crew base in Hong Kong, citing the city’s anti-coronavirus policies.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
×