CAD responds to media enquiries on Hong Kong Express
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The CAD is highly concerned about HKE's decision to cancel 18 scheduled flights in early October, which is a peak season for travel. After being notified in the afternoon on September 28, the CAD has taken a number of measures within a short period of time to minimise inconvenience and disturbance to the affected passengers, which included tasking the Executive Chairman and President of HKE to attend to the matter personally so as to ensure that every affected passenger would be taken care of properly; summoning its management several times and urging them to safeguard the interests of the travelling public, and to contact the affected passengers and explain to the public the situation as soon as possible; and contacting and seeking help from other local airlines to provide services to passengers in need. The CAD also requested HKE to give a detailed report on the incident by this week to elucidate on the root cause of the flight cancellations, follow-up actions taken and a long-term solution.
As a matter of fact, the resignation of safety training instructors of HKE was brought to the CAD's attention through a regular inspection mechanism. The CAD has been following up on the issue proactively.
Following the sudden and unusual cancellation of a scheduled assessment for an HKE safety trainer in mid-August, the CAD immediately called for a meeting with HKE's management on August 17 to look into the reasons. During the meeting, the CAD was verbally informed by HKE that all of the trainers in the safety training department would leave the company shortly. As HKE was unable to provide detailed information at that time, such as the exact departure dates of the resignees, the CAD requested HKE to submit in writing detailed information and solutions as soon as possible.
When being pressed by the CAD on the latest situation in early September, HKE's management revealed that a short-term contingency plan had been worked out, which included employing two resigned trainers to return to provide training temporarily, employing two additional trainers from a third party on a contract basis, and amending the crew's annual training period in its operations manual from 12 months to 13 months as required by the legislation.
Subsequently, HKE notified the CAD in writing in mid-September that the company has formally filled the vacancies in the safety training department and the newly recruited trainers were undergoing relevant internal training. Upon completion of the training, HKE will file applications to the CAD for approval. HKE also confirmed in writing that the recurrent safety training of the crew has resumed. HKE guaranteed in writing at that time that the flight operations would not be affected. Based on the above considerations, the CAD has reasonable grounds for believing that the flight safety and flight operations of HKE would not be affected. Nevertheless, the CAD has continued to closely follow up on the issue and requested HKE to submit a long-term solution at the soonest in order to solve the manpower issue. It was not until the afternoon on September 28 that HKE gave two days' prior notice to the CAD on the cancellation of a considerable number of flights. On this, the CAD expressed grave concern and disappointment as the development was out of accord with the information HKE has been providing. A number of measures were taken immediately by the CAD as mentioned above.
In accordance with Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Chapter 448C), the Director-General of Civil Aviation will grant to any person applying therefor an air operator's certificate (AOC) if he is satisfied that that person is competent, having regard in particular to his previous conduct and experience, his equipment, organisation, staffing, maintenance and other arrangements, to secure the safe operation of aircraft. The CAD is responsible for the subsequent monitoring of the AOC holder to ensure compliance with the Standards and Recommended Practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization on flight safety and airworthiness, for instance through regular assessment on training courses and regular document and flight inspections.
With reference to the time limit of safety training, in accordance with the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995, the crew members of local registered airline operators are required to complete safety training at least once in every 13 months. In the past, HKE requested the staff concerned to complete safety training once in every 12 months, which is stated in its operations manual. In mid-September, HKE requested to amend the period concerned in its operations manual to 13 months as required in the legislation. The CAD agreed that HKE could operate in accordance with the requirement as stipulated in the legislation.
The CAD would like to reiterate that it was extremely undesirable for HKE not to proactively and accurately notify the department of a possible extensive cancellation of flights during a peak season for travel and not to inform the public immediately after it had been decided to cancel flights. This also falls short of the expectation of both the department and the public. The CAD understands the public's concern over the HKE incident and will take appropriate follow-up actions upon receiving and studying the report.
Ends/Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:15
Issued at HKT 17:15
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