Covid: BA suspends Hong Kong flights amid crew quarantine

British Airways has suspended flights to Hong Kong amid reports more of its crew members have been forced to quarantine in a government centre.

BA confirmed it has temporarily stopped flights "while we review operational requirements for this route".

The South China Morning Post reported that one BA worker had tested positive for Covid, leading to most crew members being sent to the quarantine camp.

It follows a similar incident the week before.

In that case, a BA crew member tested positive for the virus on 20 November. The employee and other crew, classed as "close contact", were sent to Hong Kong's Penny's Bay quarantine centre.

A spokesman for Hong Kong's Department of Health told the South China Morning Post that those crew members had since returned to the UK.

It comes amid concern over the new Covid variant, Omicron - cases of which have been discovered in a number of places including the UK and Hong Kong.

Commenting on the most recent measures against its crew, BA said: "We're supporting crew who are currently isolating in Hong Kong.

"We work within local regulations for every country we fly to, and always put the safety and wellbeing of our teams and customers at the heart of everything we do."

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific airline has been forced to cancel some passenger flights in December due to staff shortages. The airline operates a "closed loop" system which means airline crew, working on three week shifts, must stay in their hotel rooms between flights before going into a 14-day quarantine when they return home.

Hong Kong is pursuing a zero-Covid cases policy in order to open the border with mainland China.

BA said: "We apologise to our customers who have had their travel plans disrupted and will be in touch to give them options."