Expected disruptions to Taipei flights announced by Cathay Pacific (CX) and Dragon Air (KA) yesterday due to typhoon Saola (see story here), have materialised. Taiwan Central Weather Bureau predicts that typhoon Saola will skirt the island's northeast tip at 1100 on Thursday. More flights to and from Taipei or Taichung are expected to be cancelled due to the forecasted adverse weather.
Carriers CX and KA have announced that they will suspend all Taipei flight operations to and from Hong Kong from 1800 today until at least noon tomorrow due to the expected adverse weather. Under this condition, 17 CX flights and 6 KA flights are cancelled, representatives said.
The last CX flight scheduled to depart Hong Kong for Taipei today is CX510 and the last flight from Taipei for Hong Kong is CX405. The last KA flight for Taipei from Hong Kong today, KA486, has departed, while KA487 is the last KA flight from Taipei to Hong Kong today.
As of noon, a total of 15 flights to and from Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE) have been cancelled, said an official from the airport. Passengers are recommended to pay attention to the latest weather situation before departing for the airport, he continued.
CX and KA advise passengers whose flights are cancelled not to go to the airport, and both airlines will assist affected passengers with alternative arrangements.
For CX and KA, passengers who are booked on flights to, from or via Taipei departing between the afternoon of August 1 through August 3, the carriers encourage them to either advance or postpone non-essential travel. Both CX and KA will waive re-booking and re-routing charges for all tickets issued worldwide, irrespective of fare type, on or before July 31 for travel on CX or KA flights to, from or via Taipei between August 1 and 3.
Both carriers are monitoring the forecasted impact to Taichung operations and will keep passengers informed of any changes made to the flight schedule to or from Taichung through the airlines’ website.
For more information, visit www.cathaypacific.com, www.dragonair.com and www.taoyuan-airport.com.
Michelle Fong
