‘Worst ever chaos’ at airport as 559 flights scrapped, delayed or diverted amid winds reaching 200km/h
More than 3,000 passengers were stranded by Typhoon Prapiroon at Chek Lap Kok last night in what an airline executive said could be the worst disruption since the airport opened in 1998.
Even though only the No 3 signal was hoisted, raging southeasterly winds stirred up by the storm churning 280km to the southwest, created conditions too hazardous for takeoff or landing.
By 11.30pm, about 70 per cent of 826 flights scheduled had been affected, with 158 delayed, 303 cancelled and 98 diverted to nearby cities. There were still more than 2,500 passengers stranded at the airport at this time. Forty more flights were expected to be affected. On July 7, 2001, 97 per cent of 551 scheduled flights were affected by Typhoon Utor, when the No8 signal was hoisted.
Dragonair, China Airlines and Eva Airways cancelled all afternoon flights to and from Hong Kong yesterday, while Cathay Pacific cancelled all flights till 9am today.
Hong Kong residents were offered HK$500 and sent home but international travellers had to scramble for scarce hotel rooms or spend the night at the airport.
“The airlines are so irresponsible. We are stranded here the whole day and they said they could not arrange a hotel for us,” said a woman giving her name as Emily, a Cathay Pacific passenger who should have been in Denpasar on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali by noon. Tired passengers resting on the floor could be seen in almost every corner of the airport, she said. “We are only offered water, snacks and blankets.”
Cathay’s general manager (corporate communications) Alan Wong Ka-lun said the number stranded was huge as most airlines were affected. “I think it is the first time that such a situation has emerged at Chek Lap Kok since its opening,” he said.
Apologising to passengers, the airline’s corporate communications manager, Maria Yu Chi-sum, said the force of the typhoon had been “very unexpected”, with only a No3 signal hoisted. “Strong southeasterly winds and gust levels that do not permit safe arrivals or departures have been experienced throughout the day. Windshear warnings have been in force since early this morning,” she said.
The disruption came as the Observatory came under fire for not hoisting the No 8 signal. But it said this was not justified by conditions over most of the city, even though gusts of more than 200km/h were recorded in some places.
The storm’s position to the southwest meant the western part of Hong Kong, including the airport, was worst affected. Gusts reached 209km/h at Ngong Ping, on the hill overlooking the airport.
“Wind speed in the western part of Hong Kong where the airport is located is much higher [than in Victoria Harbour]. Reports of windshear were received from pilots,” an Observatory spokesman said.
Cathay said it had done its best but could not find hotel rooms for so many people. Passengers complained about lack of communication and information about delayed and cancelled flights.
One woman who had been due to fly to Sri Lanka via Bangkok said she had finally been told the earliest she could leave was the middle of next week. “The [SriLankan] airlines did not give us any information at all. There is no help, no hotel, there is nothing.”
Distressed Bali-bound holidaymakers said Cathay Pacific had caused them a “10-hour nightmare”. Flight CX785 for Bali was due to take off at 10am, but a section of the rear radar was damaged. Passengers on the flight, many bound for a wedding, asked why they were forced to remain in the airport all day when there was no chance the flight would be able to leave.
“The first delay said we would fly at midday, then 3pm, and 5pm,” local businessman Magnus McGlashan said. “They should have sent us home rather than leave us stranded at the airport all day.” More delays are expected today as airlines struggle to clear the backlog. Passengers were urged to check information on the airport website www.hongkongairport .com before going to Chek Lap Kok.
“It is now the peak season. With so many passengers stranded, we will have difficulty in arranging seats for all,” Ms Yu said.
Elsewhere in Hong Kong, the typhoon caused chaos on land and at sea, knocked down piles of containers and blew down more than 500 trees. Late last night, the storm made landfall about 100km east of Zhanjiang in western Guangdong.