Ex-Gulf Air boss swapped passport and tried to avoid 10 days quarantine in UK fined

The Mail | London/Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A former Gulf Air CEO and one of Britain's most successful airline chiefs faces a fine of up to £10,000 (BD5,230) after failing to declare that he had visited a 'red list' country, reports The Mail.

In 2002, James Hogan joined Gulf Air, where he served for four years.

He is known as the man who almost single-handedly piloted the then loss-making airline into profitability.

He resigned in 2006, apparently to pursue a career in "another Gulf airline".

Millionaire Hogan, also the former chief executive of Etihad Airways, is understood to have been detained by Border Force officers at Heathrow last month after arriving on a flight from Switzerland.

Sources told The Mail that the business chief failed to disclose that just two days earlier he had been in Abu Dhabi, which is one of 40 countries on the British government's so-called 'red list'.

Anyone arriving from 'red list' countries must check into a government-approved quarantine hotel for 10 days.

Sources claim that Mr Hogan was stopped on March 19 after a whistleblower who had learnt of his travel plans tipped off a British Embassy. 

It is believed he was immediately escorted to a quarantined hotel, where he self-isolated for the mandatory 10 days, but could now face a 'heavy fine'.

Mr Hogan, who has joint British and Australian citizenship and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 2017, transformed Etihad into one of the world's top airlines during his 11-year tenure as chief executive.

In 2011 he signed a ten-year sponsorship deal with Manchester City, which included the naming rights to the football club's stadium.

News that he was caught breaking Covid travel rules is understood to have shocked top airline bosses and is the talk of the aviation industry. 

A source said: 'It's outrageous. A lot of people are shocked and angry that individuals like this who really should know better are breaking the rules.'

The UAE has been on the 'red list' since January 29 because of fears that, as a major international travel hub, it could export Covid cases to Britain. 

There were 137 new infections per 100,000 people in the UAE last week compared to 23 per 100,000 in the UK.

Since February 15, those travelling to the UK who have visited a 'red list' country in the previous ten days must self-isolate in a hotel for 10 days for £1,750.

Sources with knowledge of Mr Hogan's travel plans claim that he flew from Abu Dhabi to Switzerland on March 17 on an Etihad flight using his Australian passport.