Hong Kong’s airport reopens on Tuesday after unprecedented closure

August 13, 2019 - 8:31 AM
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Passengers queue at Cathay Pacific's counters a day after the airport was closed due to a protest, at Hong Kong International Airport, China
Passengers queue at Cathay Pacific's counters a day after the airport was closed due to a protest, at Hong Kong International Airport, China August 13, 2019. (Reuters/Issei Kato)

HONG KONG Hong Kong‘s airport reopened on Tuesday but its administrator warned that flight movements would still be affected, after China said widespread anti-government protests that halted flights a day earlier showed “sprouts of terrorism”.

The notice was published on the Hong Kong International Airport’s official mobile app at 6 a.m. (2200 GMT Monday). The airport, one of the world’s busiest, blamed demonstrators for halting flights on Monday.

Hong Kong International Airport will implement flight rescheduling today with flight movements expected to be affected,” the notice said.

The exact trigger for the airport’s closure was not clear because protesters occupying the arrivals hall for the past five days have been peaceful. Most had left shortly after midnight, with about 50 protesters still there on Tuesday morning.

A Reuters reporter saw more than 100 travelers queuing up at Cathay Pacific’s ticketing counter early on Tuesday.—Reporting by Brenda Goh and Felix Tam Editing by Paul Tait