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What is the Closed Loop system?

The Closed Loop roster system allows Cathay Pacific to continue serving Hong Kong – but it can lead to long stretches of time in quarantine and isolation for our colleagues. Here’s how it works

In early 2021, the Hong Kong government tightened entry constraints for air crew, requiring all crew to enter a 7- or 14-day quarantine plus a period of medical surveillance after returning to Hong Kong.

This presented an enormous logistical problem, as it would be impossible to continue operating scheduled flights and bringing much-needed supplies to Hong Kong, including PPE and vaccines, if most crew members were out of action for up to two weeks following every single flight.

To both meet the government requirements and ensure that we have enough colleagues available to operate flights, we introduced the Closed Loop system.

What is the Closed Loop?

The Closed Loop system allows us to complete multiple flights in a three or four-week period, before going into quarantine in Hong Kong.

Instead of going home after each flight, crew in the Closed Loop are required to isolate in the Headland Hotel at Cathay City: they are unable to re-enter the community. All crew are required to “test and hold” upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport before travelling to their hotel, this can mean hours of sitting in the Airport Midfield Concourse after a duty.

Remaining isolated at all points keeps the risk of contracting COVID-19 to an absolute minimum, enabling our people in the loop to travel in and out of Hong Kong without the need to quarantine until the end of the period.
 

How long does a Closed Loop last?

There are a few different options for employees who operate in the Closed Loop.

The Loop cycle lasts for up to either 11, 21 or 28 days, in which crew are flying and isolating at the Headland Hotel in between flights. This is followed by 7 or 14 days of quarantine depending on where they have travelled to, followed by an additional 14 or 7 days respectively of medical surveillance, depending on where they have travelled to, during which crew are required to avoid unnecessary social contact and undergo regular testing. The maximum length of one standard Closed Loop cycle is 49 days.

Alternatively, crew can choose to complete two 28-day Closed Loops in succession, following which six weeks’ guaranteed time off is rostered. This option provides an opportunity for anyone wanting to travel outside of Hong Kong for personal reasons to make arrangements. But it comes at a price: the two 28-day loops actually add up to 12 weeks spent working or in quarantine.

Crew can withdraw from the Closed Loop at any point: they just need to complete the mandatory quarantine requirement.

Crew enter the Closed Loop for an extended period of time, anywhere between 11 and 28 days

They stay in the Headland Hotel at Cathay City, and only leave hotel isolation to perform flight duties

Crew remain isolated in an overseas hotel if they have a layover...

... before flying back to Hong Kong

On arrival at HKIA, crew take a PCR test at the Midfield Concourse

Crew return to the Headland Hotel until their next flight

After the last flight, crew head to a quarantine hotel to complete a mandatory 7, 14 or 21-day isolation period, depending on destinations served and current regulations. Once they've completed quarantine, crew continue to undertake medical surveillance for a further 7-14 days at home, which includes daily temperature checks and follow-up PCR tests.

How successful is the Loop?

Since we implemented the Closed Loop in February 2021, the system has made it possible for us to continue serving Hong Kong by delivering passengers and goods across the world.

In the first eight months of 2021, we didn’t have a single case of COVID-19 among our crew members. Since the emergence of the Delta and Omicron variants, just 16 crew tested positive in the face of more than 230,000 negative tests by the end of 2021: this is a clear indicator of the success of the Closed Loop system.
 

How are we supporting our colleagues?

Undergoing long periods of self-isolation is extremely tough, both mentally and physically, so we’ve been doing everything we can to provide extra support to our people during this period. This has included posting dedicated wellbeing resources on our crew intranet, hosting twice weekly calls between the crew in the Loop and senior management, and creating new chat groups on social channels to allow crew to share their experiences and tips. Similarly, our Peer Assistance Network, in consultation with mental health professionals, helps our crew connect with other colleagues to provide support, empathy and advice.

An Employee Assistance Program is also available to provide our crew and their families with confidential guidance and support on any kind of issue – from everyday matters to more serious wellbeing problems.

We have also created the FOP Support Team, a new team comprising of pilots, who are tasked with maintaining regular contact with crew members in the Closed Loop to check on their wellbeing. They also act as a first port of call for crew, to ensure any problems or questions are handled quickly and directly. Additional allowances have also been introduced to financially compensate crew who operate in the Closed Loop.

Through an extended period of uncertainty and in the face of a complex situation, our people continue to adapt and devote themselves to keep Hong Kong connected to the world. We’re thankful to have such a dedicated team.

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