Emirates has cancelled its flights to and from Hong Kong until July 18, the carrier said in a statement sent to Business Traveller Asia-Pacific.
The news comes after Hong Kong announced new Covid-19 testing rules for passengers flying in from countries that have been determined as high-risk. Passengers who have been in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, South Africa, the Philippines or Indonesia will need to provide a negative Covid-19 test result before arriving in Hong Kong, according to a report from South China Morning Post.
The UAE-based carrier said the following in a statement: “Due to operational reasons, Emirates has taken the decision to temporarily suspend passenger services to and from Hong Kong until 18 July. Plans to resume services will be subject to review. We remain committed to serving our customers in Hong Kong and are working hard to resume services as soon as possible.”
Emirates also said all affected passengers should contact the airline or their travel agent to re-book.
The airline resumed flights between Dubai and Hong Kong in June following the UAE government’s announcement to lift restrictions on transit passenger services. The carrier was flying between Dubai and Hong Kong three times per week on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Earlier this month, Emirates suspended transit services through Hong Kong International Airport after Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) introduced stricter penalties for airlines flying in passengers who are not allowed to enter their destination.
