Although it is extremely sunny in Hong Kong today, Super Typhoon Usagi, which has already adversely affected the weather in Taiwan, is edging closer to the coast of Guangdong and it is predicted to be heading directly to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Observatory forecasts that weather conditions in the city will rapidly deteriorate on Sunday (September 22) and Monday (September 23) with strong winds and heavy rain.
Cathay Pacific warns that there is a strong likelihood that flights departing and arriving at Hong Kong International Airport from Sunday evening to Monday morning will be delayed or cancelled. The airline encourages passengers booked on Hong Kong-bound flights departing between September 22 and 23 to postpone their trips if possible, and it will waive re-booking fees for all tickets issued worldwide for its flights, irrespective of fare type, on or before September 20 for travel between September 22 and 24. Travellers booked for flights departing from Hong Kong in the next two days should check the status of their flights before leaving for the airport.
In the evening, China Airlines announced that all its flights between three Taiwanese cities, namely Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taichung, and Hong Kong after 1600 on September 22 will be cancelled. On the same day, two China Airlines flights and one Mandarin Airlines flight will depart earlier than originally scheduled: CI915/CI916 (Taipei-Hong Kong) by one hour and 25 minutes; CI527/CI528 (Taipei-Shenzhen) by 75 minutes; and AE292 (Hong Kong-Kaohsiung) by one and a half hours. The airline has set up a special online site to offer updates, but it is in Chinese only: http://www.china-airlines.com/ch/temp/index_ty.htm. If you are in Taiwan, you call call China Airlines on 412-9000 and Mandarin Airlines on 412-8008. From your mobile phone you need to first dial "02".
Travellers with plans to visit Hong Kong in the next two days are advised to check the websites of Cathay Pacific (www.cathaypacific.com), Hong Kong Observatory (www.weather.gov.hk) and Hong Kong International Airport (www.hongkongairport.com).
