Hong Kong airport – tougher security in place

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  • AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Scmp reports today of tougher security at the airport.

    Protests expected to last until Sunday.

    Airlines advising travellers to arrive earlier for their flights.

    https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3022074/security-increased-hong-kong-international-airport-ahead


    cwoodward
    Participant

    THe SCMP ceased to be a reliable information source when it was sold to a Chinese communist oligarchy (equivalent) couple of years back.
    I was at the airport a couple of hours ago and arrivals and departures were working well.

    Significantly Cathay (the dominant user) is NOT asking passengers to arrive early for flights.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Hello cwoodward – Thanks for the update.

    I was merely assisting readers when I posted the link to Scmp.

    I had seen many pics via social media showing the new security arrangements being put in place at the airport.

    Cathay Pacific has now posted an advisory on its website.

    Passengers are being advised to check-in online. They are also advised of possible congestion en route.

    They are being advised to check “Flight Status” before proceeding to the airport.

    https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_GB/travel-information/travel-preparation/travel-advisories/hong-kong-public-assembly-9-11Aug.html


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    I now see a report from New York Times.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    I believe that there is little need for so much concern or to alarm pax unnecessary.
    Some friends arrive at 8pm local and experienced no problem or delay.

    The situation may change of course but unlikely as at present the situation is well under control.
    As I see it that there is little cause for alarm .

    The NYT of course has newspapers to sell!

    “The advisory

    We are aware that a public assembly may take place at Hong Kong International Airport on 9-11 August 2019.

    Our flights to and from Hong Kong International Airport are currently operating as normal.

    Passengers should allow sufficient time for travelling to the airport, as there may be congestion on roads and public transportation. Additionally, there may be added entrance procedures at the airport – to save time, we highly recommend checking in online at cathaypacific.com.’


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    As feared there were major developments at the airport with two days of flight disruption.

    Hong Kong airport sees second day of flight disruption

    Latest news from Hong Kong this evening (UK time on Tuesday):

    https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3022668/riot-police-protesters-clash-unprecedented-violence-hong


    HongKongLady
    Participant

    Disruption it wasn’t, bedlam is what it was and then it ended up as pandemonium.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    There was little or no problem last evening with the airport authority having obtained a very heavy injunction against all protests on the authorities premises (inside and out of the terminal buildings.
    This in effect bans any sort of protest or gathering with penalties up to and including life imprisonment.

    This sort of action was unfortunately inevitable given the extent of the disruption and escalating violence.

    The airport is running normally today and at least this problem area has,it seems been effectively dealt with at least in the short term and probably the long term also.


    HongKongLady
    Participant

    The airport is certainly not running normally. The Airport Express is running at 25 minute intervals, checks are made to boarding passes or flight documents prior to being allowed inside departures. Security lines are far longer, due I imagine, to staff being deployed elsewhere. Finally many Cathay flights are running late, because of plane rotations. People can at least board their flights but normality has not returned yet.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    I disagree with HongKongLady that that the airport express is running at 25 minute intervals and that certainly was not the case yesterday evening when I travelled to/from the airport to meet friends.
    Perhaps my earlier post painted a rather broad brush picture in attempting to convey that flights into and out of the airport were again running.

    My post was to indicate that all flights were arriving and departing to schedule and that at all passengers were able to check-in and travel.
    There was pent up demand from the previously cancelled flights yesterday that inevitably caused longer check-in lines and there is some increased security but it is not excessive.
    The extra security personnel are being supplied by outside contractors not not the normal airport security teams and so once the backlog is cleared the processes should be smooth.


    HongKongLady
    Participant

    I left HK late on the 15th, travelled to the airport on the Airport Express after dropping my bags at In Town Check In, I did this so I was able to get airside very early before check in opened, as I was on BA. The train was running at 25 minute intervals despite the website stating service was as normal. Had to show boarding pass( travel documents would have sufficed) to gain entry to departures, the line was immediately after getting off the train.Sat in the Cathay lounge where at least 20 flights were delayed possibly more, I gave up counting. I’m amazed you were able to meet friends, I was under the impression that you weren’t able to gain access unless you were a passenger, but that may just be departures. Certainly taxi drives are now unable to use the toilets according to the press.

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