Virgin Atlantic tells airline crews to stop socialising during off-hours

Since December 21, Virgin Atlantic has segregated pilots and cabin crew during their leisure time. Photo / Getty Images

When it comes to work perks, few things could beat partying with your co-workers in faraway cities.

Unfortunately for those working at Virgin Atlantic, after-hours socialising overseas has been banned following coronavirus concerns.

Pilots and cabin crew have been segregated and instructed not to socialise or eat with one another or staff from other flights since December 21.

Despite spending up to 12 hours working next to each other on long-haul flights, crew were told to stay in bubbles of four people maximum when "socialising inside."

The rules appear to be in response to the risk of staff catching coronavirus, which could result in staff shortages and cancelled flights.

Rules do not seem to be in place for other carriers.

Martin Chalk, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association said the restrictions should be lifted immediately.

"The challenges faced and overcome by pilots and our cabin crew colleagues during the pandemic, particularly the overblown and oppressive requirements in some places, are illustrated by the difficulties this airline is trying to address," he said.

"Airline crew already spend considerable time away from their family and friends. These requested restrictions should be lifted as quickly as possible to enable them to support each other as normal while away from home."

The restrictions are a sharp contrast against founder Richard Branson's original vision to "put the fun back into flying and bring glamour back into the skies," in 1984.

According to the Independent, a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said the airline was "actively reviewing whether this policy is still necessary".

"We continue to take pre-emptive measures to uphold operational and staffing resilience, always putting the health and safety of our people and our customers first," they said.

"Alongside any local requirements, temporary measures are in place for our crews to minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission while they are overseas. This guidance to our people means we ensure they stay healthy and well and avoid flight disruption or cancellations for customers.

"These measures are kept under constant review and will be maintained only as long is necessary."