Hong Kong asks Japan to drop airport curb set to hit 60,000 travellers

HONG KONG, Dec 29 (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s authorities has requested Japan to withdraw a COVID-19 restriction that requires passenger flights from the monetary hub to land at solely 4 designated Japanese airports, saying the choice will influence about 60,000 passengers.

Japan, which is a prime journey vacation spot for Hong Kong individuals, stated it might restrict flights from Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China to Tokyo’s two airports, plus Osaka and Nagoya from Friday. The choice comes throughout a peak journey season and forward of the Lunar New Yr vacation which begins Jan. 22.

“It’s understood that round 250 outbound flights of Hong Kong airways can be affected between December 30, 2022 and the top of January 2023, affecting round 60,000 passengers,” the federal government stated in a press release late on Wednesday.

Metropolis chief John Lee stated the federal government had indicated to the Japanese authorities it was disillusioned.

“We predict that Hong Kong individuals must be allowed to make use of not simply these 4 airports,” Lee stated.

Flights of Hong Kong airways can nonetheless carry passengers again to Hong Kong from numerous airports in Japan, the federal government stated, to “guarantee the graceful return of Hong Kong individuals from Japan and to minimise the influence to Hong Kong travellers brought on by the incident.”

Hong Kong’s flagship service Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) stated in a press release on Thursday it might proceed to function flights to Japan, though it might cut back these to 65 per week, down 20% from its deliberate schedule for Jan 2023.

Hong Kong Airways and Peach Aviation introduced they might cancel some flight routes due to the foundations.

America, India, Italy and Taiwan now require mandatory COVID-19 tests on travellers from China after Beijing’s determination to raise stringent zero-COVID insurance policies.

China in December started dismantling the world’s strictest COVID regime of lockdowns and intensive testing, placing its battered economic system on the right track for an entire re-opening subsequent 12 months.

The lifting of restrictions, following widespread protests towards them, means COVID is spreading largely unchecked and certain infecting tens of millions of individuals a day, in keeping with some worldwide well being consultants.

Reporting by Farah Grasp and Twinnie Siu; Enhancing by Lincoln Feast and Stephen Coates

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.