Hong Kong temporarily blocks routes some airlines.

Aviación al Día

5 years ago

Hong Kong has placed a temporary ban on four international airlines flying specific routes to the city under a new law aimed at stopping the spread of Covid-19, the government told CNN on Friday.

In a blow to potential travelers, British Airways passenger flights from London to Hong Kong have been banned from December 12-25, officials said.

They added to a growing number of banned flights on Friday, according to Hong Kong officials, who cited a British Airways flight that arrived in Hong Kong on Dec. 8 with four Covid-positive passengers and one passenger who did not meet prevention requirements.

Under new and strict rules, the Hong Kong government is now banning British Airways, Emirates, KLM and Nepal Airlines from flying on specific routes to Hong Kong for 14 days, with dates varying from airline to airline.

“We are disappointed to have received instructions from 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.

According to a government statement, it was determined that an incoming flight from Amsterdam operated by KLM on November 27, a flight from Kathmandu to Hong Kong operated by Nepal Airlines on December 1, and two flights to Hong Kong from Dubai via Bangkok operated by Emirates on December 2 and 3, also had one or more Covid-positive passengers on board.

The government said it reserves the right to block a route for 14 days if a passenger on board a plane carrying Covid-19 does not comply with pandemic control measures.

The Hong Kong government said Friday that KLM’s Amsterdam-Hong Kong route and Nepal Airlines’ Kathmandu route will be out of action until Dec. 17, while Emirates will not be able to fly to Hong Kong from Dubai or Bangkok until Dec. 18.

By Jadyn Sham, Chandler Thornton and Jennifer Hauser.