A380 Troy Mortier/Unsplash
Commercial
Aviation
/ Asia
High vaccination rates
Asian airlines require crew to be vaccinated to be able to fly
By: Gabriela Ramos
On: 8/20/2021
Troy Mortier/Unsplash
With the risks of the pandemic, several countries still keep their borders closed or restricted. Thus, several measures are taken, from the governmental level to the individual, to try to find a way out or at least a respite. In this regard, Asian airlines have applied a high amount of vaccines to their crews, including pilots. In fact, companies such as Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas Airways and Cathay Pacific require their crews to be immunized so that they can continue operating. Otherwise, they risk dismissal.
In the Asia/Pacific region, international travel is still about 95% below pre-pandemic volume. And the future is still uncertain with the high circulation of the Delta variant, which has caused concern and brought about new quarantine rules and new flight restrictions in several countries. This scenario has left many aviation professionals – pilots and crew – idle while waiting for a recovery.
Singapore and Malaysia Airlines claim that they have a staff vaccination rate of over 95%, including ground and frontline personnel.
Cathay said 99% of its pilots and 91% of the cabin crew have already booked or received vaccinations and intends to vaccinate all its employees by August 31st. In addition, the company stated that from Friday only vaccinated crews will be able to operate flights to countries considered by Hong Kong as “high risk” regions. However, on return, the required quarantine will be reduced to one week, half of what is currently required for the unvaccinated.
In regions where crew vaccination is voluntary, such as the Philippines, airlines still report high vaccination rates. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines report rates above 90%.
In Taiwan, EVA Airways reported its crew vaccination rate above 90% with both doses, while China Airlines claimed that its entire crew had already had at least the first dose. However, Taiwanese airlines did not clarify whether vaccination is mandatory or voluntary.
In the West, United Airlines was the first US airline to require vaccination of its domestic employees, followed by Hawaiian Airlines.
Gabriela Ramos
Gabriela is the latest addition to the editorial team of our website, having provided us with her solid background in editing, publishing and photography, and her interest and training in aviation history and historiography. His good taste and common sense and great cleverness and sagacity in the selection of themes and materials greatly enriched our vocabulary and narrative style. Gabriela brought unusual predicates and came to stay, helping to point the way of success of our portal.
   
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