Hong Kong flights from UAE suspended

At least 123 flights departing from Hong Kong and 73 arriving flights have been canceled.

Several UAE flights to and from Hong Kong have been cancelled after Hong Kong's Airport Authority has suspended all departures on Monday, as thousands of anti-government protesters occupied the city's main terminal.
"Etihad Airways flight EY833 from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to Abu Dhabi International (AUH) has been significantly delayed due to the cancellation of all departing flights on Monday from HKG, which was instructed by the airport authorities," an Etihad spokesperson told Khaleej Times.
"We regret any inconvenience caused by this extended delay. The safety of our guests and crew is Etihad Airways' highest priority," added Etihad, which also advised its passengers to call the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 600 555666 or its HK office on +852 30 713 221. Passengers can also check the status of their flight on www.etihad.com, or through the mobile app.
According to flight tracking site flightaware.com, at least 123 flights departing from Hong Kong and 73 arriving flights have been canceled.
Several Emirates flights have also been affected, including flight EK383 which is scheduled to fly out of Hong Kong to Dubai at 7.10pm on Monday. Flight EK385 due to depart at 9.30pm as well as EK384 flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong have also been cancelled.
Emirates said passengers who were scheduled to travel to and from Hong Kong were already informed that their trips had been cancelled.
"Due to protests in Hong Kong International Airport on 12 August and subsequent direction from Hong Kong Airport Authorities to halt flights, Emirates flights EK384/ EK385 between Bangkok and Hong Kong on August 12 has been cancelled. Flights EK 386, EK 381 and EK 383 might also experience delays as a result of the protests. All other flights to/from Hong Kong remain unaffected as of now, however passengers are advised to regularly check www.emirates.com for the latest flight schedules.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will continue to monitor the situation closely and update our customers if additional flights are affected," the airline said.
Meanwhile, Malou Prado, managing director and owner of Dubai-based MPQ Tourism, told Khaleej Times that they have stopped booking flights for tourists to Hong Kong since two weeks ago.
"The situation in Hong Kong is very volatile. We have also advised Filipino expats to avoid booking connecting flights to Hong Kong when they travel back home or return from their holidays," Prado added.
In the past 11 weeks, Hong Kong has been witnessing continued protests that all started in June over the controversial extradition bill, which has been shelved but protesters demand larger reforms in the government.
angel@khaleejtimes.com