'Probe Report On HK Airlines Parts Falling Off'

Hong Kong aviation authorities are being urged to look into reports that parts of multiple Hong Kong Airline jets fell off during flights to Tokyo earlier this week.

Japanese media reports cited six such cases in the past three days, involving parts like screws, and light shades which protect pilots from glare.

One report said Narita airport authorities had to close a runway and make sure the parts had not fallen there, delaying other flights. They later determined that the missing parts may have fallen off during the flight, it said.

Civic Party legislator Jeremy Tam, who is also a pilot, on Wednesday said that it's uncommon to have frequent cases of missing plane parts within a short period of time.

He said if the objects fell from more than one aircraft, it may suggest there’s a design problem with that particular model of aircraft.

The lawmaker said loose parts falling on the runway can pose a danger to other planes as they can be sucked in by the jets or cause damage to the tyres.

Tam said the Civil Aviation Department should investigate if the problem involves maintenance issues, or is related to the aircraft's design.