Air passengers continue to face disruptions at Hong Kong International Airport following Typhoon Noui, which forced the cancellation of approximately 400 flights over the weekend. Despite an announcement from the Airport Authority yesterday that operations had returned to normal, delays persisted, with at least a dozen departures rescheduled from Sunday to Monday.
The Airport Authority indicated that it expected to manage around 900 flights throughout Monday. It also noted that airlines were coordinating on post-typhoon arrangements, taking into account factors such as fleet and crew availability, destination airport slot timing, and customer preferences.
While queues at check-in counters appeared orderly during the morning, a significant number of travellers remained stranded after spending the night at the airport. Some passengers faced extended wait times as airlines worked to address the backlog caused by delays. According to the airport’s official website, 12 flights originally scheduled for Sunday were postponed to Monday afternoon and evening.
Typhoon Noui prompted Hong Kong’s first No 8 and No 9 tropical cyclone storm signals of the year, with the No 8 signal issued on Saturday night and an upgrade to No 9 at 11:10 a.m. on Sunday. These storm signals led to extensive flight cancellations and left roughly 2,000 passengers stranded overnight in the airport.
Among the affected travellers was 27-year-old Xing Tai from Beijing, whose flight scheduled for Saturday was cancelled. She described her frustration over the delay and the emotional toll of being away from her pets. While her work was not impacted due to being on leave, she noted that her travel companion missed work because of the rescheduling.
Another passenger, 43-year-old Jones Guaraguao from Fiji, experienced delays while transiting through Hong Kong en route to London. He reported waiting at the airport for more than 12 hours after his Sunday evening flight was postponed to Monday afternoon. Guaraguao highlighted the fatigue of staying overnight and the disruption to his family’s onward travel plans, including missed non-refundable bus bookings from London to Scotland.
Not all passengers were able to secure flights on Monday. Filipino traveler Rhea Esguerra said her flight to the Philippines, initially scheduled for Sunday, was postponed to Tuesday, forcing her and her friends to sleep at the airport due to budget constraints. She described the experience as unfamiliar but expressed relief that she would finally be able to return home.
The situation underscores the challenges faced by carriers and travelers alike in the aftermath of severe weather events, as operational recovery continues amid residual impacts from Typhoon Noui.
