Latest news with #ChrisAuYoung
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Typhoon Wipha: Hong Kong airport scrambling to deal with backlog of 500 flights
Hong Kong airport is scrambling to deal with a backlog of 500 cancelled flights for about 100,000 passengers, with some people waiting there since Saturday amid the upheaval caused by Typhoon Wipha. Chris Au Young, the Airport Authority's general manager of terminal and passenger experience, said on Sunday afternoon that about 400 rescheduled flights would either depart or arrive in Hong Kong later in the day as the typhoon moved away from the city and weakened. 'More than 500 flights were cancelled this time. It will normally take two to three days for airlines to gradually resume them,' he said, adding that about 100,000 passengers were affected. He said all 27 security check channels in the departure hall would operate overnight. The moves were among contingency measures put in place by the airport operator since Saturday. The authority said in the evening that it would handle 120 arriving and 114 departing flights involving 35,000 passengers between 8pm on Sunday and 6am on Monday. Chris Au Young says contingency plans have been in place since Saturday. Photo: Dickson Lee Wipha prompted the Observatory to issue its highest typhoon warning, a No 10 hurricane signal, earlier on Sunday. In force for almost seven hours, it was downgraded to the No 8 signal at 4.10pm and to No 3 at 7.40pm as the storm moved farther away from the city.
RTHK
4 days ago
- RTHK
Airport to work through the night to ease backlog
Airport to work through the night to ease backlog About 100,000 passengers have been affected by 500 cancelled flights in and out of Hong Kong. Photo: RTHK Airport bosses have vowed to work round-the-clock to make flight arrangements and assist travellers, as the Hong Kong International Airport is expected to remain busy throughout the night and the next day amid a backlog. Chris Au Young, the Airport Authority's general manager of terminal and passenger experience, said about 400 flights that had been rescheduled would either depart or arrive the SAR on Sunday as Typhoon Wipha moves away from the city. "We have been spoken with the Civil Aviation Department and various airlines on arranging flights overnight and deploying additional staff to handle the departure procedures for passengers. All 27 of our security checkpoints at departure will be fully operational to serve passengers overnight," he said. "Due to the continued inclement weather, we expect the resumption of flights to continue until Monday evening." The authority also aimed to resume all 500 cancelled flights, affecting about 100,000 passengers, in two to three days, Au Young added.
RTHK
4 days ago
- Climate
- RTHK
Typhoon Wipha disrupts 400 flights at HK airport
Typhoon Wipha disrupts 400 flights at HK airport Chris Au Young said that flights are anticipated to gradually resume from about 1 pm. Photo: RTHK Hong Kong International Airport faced further disruption on Sunday as Typhoon Wipha intensified, forcing the Airport Authority to reschedule approximately 400 flights affecting around 80,000 passengers. As winds associated with the typhoon buffered Hong Kong, the Observatory issued the Hurricane Signal No. 10 at 9.20 am saying it would remain in force for some time. Overnight, the Observatory had issued the Storm Signal No. 8 at 20 minutes past midnight followed by the Increasing Gale Signal No. 9 seven hours later.. Chris Au Young, the authority's general manager of terminal and passenger experience, said flights are anticipated to gradually resume from about 1 pm but that passengers should expect an extremely busy airport in the evening. Au Young told affected travellers to contact their airlines in advance and allow ample time to reach the airport. "If the No. 8 and No. 9 or higher wind signals continue, we will adjust flight arrangements, and delays will persist. Therefore, we are prepared - providing adequate time and space for passengers to avoid being stranded. We will distribute water, blankets and appropriate food as well," he said. Highlighting the overnight impact of the typhoon, Au Young said 36 flights carrying over 3,000 passengers had arrived between midnight and 6 am. He said operations at the airport remained normal with most arrivals departing via the Airport Express before 6.00 am. Au Young said the authority had deployed an additional thousand staff members and made sure that about 800 taxis were available overnight.
