A joint US-Israeli attack on Iran has led to the cancellation or delay of at least 27 flights from Hong Kong to Middle East destinations, stranding hundreds of travellers at the city's airport. The Hong Kong government has issued a fresh warning against travel to Iran amid the strikes. Cathay Pacific has suspended all operations in the region.
On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched major air strikes on targets across Iran, in what appeared to be one of the most direct and expansive attacks on the country in years. The incident has disrupted flights at Hong Kong International Airport, with the Airport Authority stating that at least nine flights have been cancelled or postponed. By Sunday, at least 27 flights to Middle East destinations were affected, primarily to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Doha in Qatar, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Hundreds of passengers packed Hong Kong International Airport on Sunday morning to inquire about the suspended departures. Luo Kui, a 45-year-old software architect from Shanghai, was stranded overnight in Hong Kong after his Cathay Pacific flight to Dubai, scheduled for 5pm on Saturday, was cancelled. On Sunday morning, the airline offered him two options: keep his connecting flight to Dubai, tentatively rescheduled for March 4, but pay for his own accommodation until departure, or change his ticket and return to Shanghai.
“This isn’t fair,” Luo, who has worked in Abu Dhabi for two years, told the South China Morning Post. “A flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong takes only a few hours – about a third of the time it takes to fly from Hong Kong to Abu Dhabi. In a fair situation, the airline should refund some money to us.”
Cathay Pacific said: “The safety of our customers and crew guides every decision we make and we are continuously monitoring the situation. Support is being provided to affected customers.” The airline added: “We will review the situation before recommencing flights to or over the region. Customers are strongly advised to check our website at cathaypacific.com before travelling to the airport.”
According to Cathay, it suspended all operations in the Middle East on Saturday, including passenger flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh, as well as freighter services to and from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. The Hong Kong government issued a fresh warning against travel to Iran.
