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10 May, 2021

Former Etihad boss detained for trying to skip hotel quarantine using Aussie passport

An ex-airline boss has been caught trying to evade hotel quarantine in the UK after he was heard bragging about failing to declare a visit to a ‘red list’ country.

The Daily Mail has revealed that James Hogan, former CEO of Etihad Airways, was detained by border officials at Heathrow airport after arriving on a flight from Switzerland.

Hogan reportedly failed to disclose that he had visited Adu Dhabi two days before he landed in London in an attempt to avoid a 10-day stint in hotel quarantine.

Upon his arrival in London, the millionaire was taken to a quarantine hotel where he self-isolated for the required time, and is now facing fines of up to £10,000 ($18,000).

Hogan, who has both British and Australian citizenship, was the CEO of Etihad from 2006 until 2017, after beginning his aviation career at Melbourne Airport working for Ansett.

An anonymous source informed a British Embassy in either the UAE or Switzerland after hearing him boast about using his Australian passport to enter the UAE and his British passport to enter the UK.

The UAE is one of 40 countries on the British government’s ‘red list’ due to its status as a major international travel hub.

Those who arrive in the UK from a red list country must quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days.

A spokesman for the British home office told The Daily Mail it was “unacceptable” and “illegal” to avoid hotel quarantine.

“We are in a global health pandemic,” the spokesman said.

“People should not be travelling unless absolutely necessary and it is unacceptable, and illegal, to avoid hotel quarantine.

“Those who seek to do so can receive a fine of up to £10,000.

“Border Force is checking every single passenger to ensure they are complying with health measures at the border, to protect the British public and UK vaccine rollout from variants of concern.

“Passengers who still attempt to avoid quarantine can be subject to further action from the police, including arrest for breaching the COVID regulations.”

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