Hong Kong temporarily bans British Airways, Emirates, KLM
More airlines join Hong Kong's 14-day blacklist as the city rushes to contain its latest COVID-19 outbreak.
By David Flynn, December 14 2020
Hong Kong has temporarily banned four international airlines under strict new rules aimed at stemming the latest COVID-19 outbreak.
Flights by British Airways, Emirates, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Nepal Airlines have all been suspended by the Hong Kong government after a number of passengers on recent flights tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival.
The bans remain in place for 14 days, and even a single positive passenger arriving on a flight into Hong Kong can see that airline hit with a two-week ban if other passengers failed to comply with onboard health measures.
British Airways' flight BA27 from London on Tuesday December 8 was revealed to be carrying four passengers with COVID-19.
Hong Kong's Department of Health said it “thus invoked the regulation to prohibit landing of passenger flights from London operated by BA in Hong Kong from December 12 to 25.”
"We are disappointed to have been instructed by the Hong Kong authorities to temporarily suspend our passenger flights from London to Hong Kong and are working closely with the authorities to resume these services,” British Airways said in a statement, although it added that "our flights from Hong Kong to London continue to operate as normal.”
Similar sanctions have also been levied against KLM, Emirates and Nepal Airlines, while Air India has to date been issued with five bans to date.
In the case of Emirates, two successive flights to Hong Kong from Dubai via Bangkok on December 2 and 3 were found to have one or more COVID-positive passengers aboard.
A surge in Hong Kong's coronavirus cases caused the last-minute closure of a long-awaited travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore at the beginning of this month.
Read more: Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble postponed to 2021
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
17 Dec 2020
Total posts 1
Hi
My concern is my daughter has planned to go to hongkong next month to join her university.My concern is if there will be a situation of pandemic goes worst as we are observing then what shall we plan either she will go or stay at home and continue her samester online. Because the quarantine time is 19 days or may be more. I am worried about the situation and very concern about her health too. Her visa issued is valid upto first week of february and no extension is issued as per talk to university and visa department. Now i have learnt the schedule flights are suspended too.
if there is anyone in hongkong concern to the students arivals in this harsh pandemic. please suggest.
Looking forward for the reply
Thanks
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