Hong Kong International Airport was in recovery mode today (6 August) after strikes yesterday forced the cancellation of flights.
More than 220 flights to and from Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) were canceled yesterday (5 August) after air traffic controllers and other aviation workers went on strike as part of the territory’s civil protests.
According to the South China Morning Post, at least 20 controllers took sick leave on the night of 4 August.
As a result, two-thirds of the controllers were not expected to turn up, forcing the Hong Kong Airport Authority (HKAA) to shut down one of two runways between noon 5 August to 6 August.
Hong Kong’s local airlines cancelled about 250 of 1,000 passenger flights on Monday after air traffic controllers, flight attendants, pilots and ground crew called in sick en masse in support of the anti-government strikes.
According to reports, a number of departing flights were cancelled today while 37 arrivals were also cancelled. Hong Kong International Airport was scheduled to handle 511 departing flights on Tuesday and a similar number of arrivals – a nearly full schedule. 199 of Monday’s cancelled flights were rescheduled for Tuesday.
