Some passengers managed to leave Hong Kong by 6 p.m. on 23/9, before most airlines suspended operations due to Super Typhoon Saola's approach. Many remained stranded and had to spend the night at the airport.
According to the Hong Kong Airport Authority, 382 flights had been canceled and 43 delayed as of 10:30 a.m. that day. Airport website data revealed no scheduled flights between 6 p.m. and midnight. The last flight, bound for Ningbo, China, departed at 5:59 p.m., almost two hours ahead of schedule.
Between 6 p.m. and midnight, 13 flights were scheduled to land in Hong Kong. The website indicated approximately 20 departing and 30 arriving flights scheduled for 24/9.
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Passengers rest at Hong Kong International Airport before Super Typhoon Saola's arrival on 23/9. Photo: AP/Chan Long Hei |
Japanese tourist Yano Wakako, 27, and her husband were returning to Tokyo from Hong Kong on 23/9, concluding their three-day Disneyland vacation. Their flight, originally scheduled for 8 p.m. on 23/9, was rescheduled to 5 p.m. the same day. Wakako expressed concern about potential flight disruptions a day before the typhoon's predicted landfall.
Another couple, Hiro Tanaka and his wife, arrived at the airport before 6 a.m. seeking alternative arrangements after their midnight flight to Osaka was canceled.
"We're really worried, but there's nothing we can do to improve the situation," Tanaka said, explaining that the airline advised them to await a replacement flight.
By 5 p.m., most service counters at Hong Kong International Airport were deserted. Some passengers rested in the departure hall, many using blankets and clothes spread over seats or the floor as makeshift beds.
Suliyah, a 40-year-old Indonesian passenger, had been at the airport since the evening of 22/9 to catch her morning flight to Jakarta on 23/9. However, she received late notification on 22/9 that her flight had been postponed to 25/9.
"I have to stay here for two more nights, but everything is okay. There is enough food and water, and I occasionally walk around the shops," Suliyah commented, adding that this was her first trip home after six years of working in Hong Kong.
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Passengers wait in the departure hall of Hong Kong International Airport on 23/9, after numerous flights were canceled due to Super Typhoon Saola. Photo: SCMP |
The Hong Kong Observatory raised the typhoon warning from level three to level eight at 2:20 p.m. on 23/9 as winds intensified, stating they would consider raising the warning further between 11 p.m. on 23/9 and 3 a.m. on 24/9.
The Airport Authority advised passengers to check for the latest information with their airlines and only come to the airport once their tickets and flight times were confirmed.
Mai Phuong (Via SCMP)
