A pilot has sued Hong Kong’s flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways and a sister company over personal injuries she said she suffered after inhaling contaminated air during a flight in 2018.
Antonia Louise Zoya Anton, who was employed by Cathay Pacific as a first officer on the flight, accused the airline and the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (Haeco) of negligence over the incident.
The civil case, first filed in 2021, had a procedural hearing on Monday and Tuesday at the High Court.
Anton, who is being represented by law firm Munros, claimed that during flight CX412 on May 19, 2018, a “cabin fume event” occurred in which the breathable air supply was contaminated.
She accused Cathay of negligence, breach of the common law duty to care and breach of statutory duties, as well as of breaching the terms of her contract.
Anton also accused Haeco of negligence, breach of the common law duty to care and breach of statutory duties, claiming the incident arose from the company’s poor maintenance, repair or cleaning of the aircraft.
Haeco is a wholly owned subsidiary of Swire Pacific, which is Cathay Pacific’s biggest shareholder with a 45 per cent stake in the airline.
Anton is seeking compensation from both companies for personal injury, loss and damages, as well as expenses arising from the alleged fume event. The sum she is seeking was not disclosed in the writ.
It is not clear whether Anton is still an employee of Cathay Pacific.
The airline told the Post that it could not comment on an ongoing court case. It also did not respond to the question on whether the plaintiff was still a Cathay employee.
The Post has also contacted Munros and Haeco for comment.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), an “Uncommon Cabin Air Quality Event”, also known as a “fumes event”, occurs when cabin air becomes odorous or contaminated by other substances such as trace amounts of oil or hydraulic fluid.
In most cases, pilots do not experience any symptoms, IATA said.
However, in some cases, pilots may experience short-lived symptoms such as irritation of the eyes, nose, mouth, or throat, shortness of breath, headache, nausea, tiredness. IATA said these symptoms usually resolve themselves over a few hours or days.
Another hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday.
