The Hong Kong government canceled the "no-fly order" in nine countries in April, but still maintains the "hottest" flight circuit breaker mechanism. Three people on the same plane were confirmed to be suspended for seven days, making airlines afraid to open additional flights. The International Air Transport Association ( IATA) further described that "Hong Kong has disappeared from the aerial map".
In the next two months, only six direct flights from London and five from Manchester City will return to Hong Kong. Some education consultants have received help from the parents of over 100 students stranded in the UK, and students who are under 18 may have to rush to find host families frequently.
Guan Tai, whose 16-year-old daughter is studying in the UK, canceled the air tickets bought for her daughter one after another. So far, she has not dared to explain the truth to her daughter.
Some scholars and doctors agree that the circuit breaker mechanism can be moderately relaxed to strike a balance between epidemic prevention.
▼On April 1, the no-fly order of nine countries was revoked on the first day of the airport situation▼
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Cathay Pacific has only 11 flights to and from the UK in two months to avoid circuit breakers
According to the flight circuit breaker mechanism, as long as three or more passengers are diagnosed on a flight, the flight needs to be suspended from Hong Kong for seven days.
In order to avoid triggering the circuit breaker mechanism, although Cathay Pacific resumed some routes earlier, the number of flights is limited. For the time being, there are only six flights to Hong Kong from London in May and June; there are only five flights to Hong Kong from Manchester, UK.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, which originally operated direct flights from the UK to Hong Kong, have not yet resumed passenger flights to Hong Kong. British Airways recently responded to passenger inquiries on social media and pointed out that until May 29, they will suspend passenger flights to Hong Kong; Victoria Jane Air said in response to foreign reports that it will suspend flights until September this year.
The circuit breaker flight on April 21.
(Centre for Health Protection)
Hundreds of students under the age of 18 have to find another host family to stay in the UK during the summer
Chen Siming, executive director of Yingshi Education, the British Higher Education Consultancy Center, said that in the past two weeks, he has received help one after another, saying that it is difficult to buy a plane ticket to return to Hong Kong. So far, hundreds of people have asked for help.
He continued that some international students are under the age of 18, and the dormitory of the school will be closed during the summer vacation, and he said bluntly: "Can you go to the side if you can't go back to Hong Kong?"
He said that there was a similar situation last year, and it was necessary to look for local homestays everywhere. He hoped that the Hong Kong government could relax the circuit breaker mechanism. The current situation is too strict, and the number of flights is simply not enough to meet the needs of international students.
Chen Siming, Executive Director of Yingshi Education.
(File photo/Photo by Wu Weihao)
Hong Kong raised UK risk level last summer
Guan Tai is one of the parents who asked for help. Her 16-year-old daughter has been studying in the UK for three years.
She said that during the summer vacation last year, her daughter was planning to return to Hong Kong, and she already had a ticket for July. Unexpectedly, the Hong Kong government suddenly raised the risk level of the United Kingdom at the end of June, completely banned flying back to Hong Kong, and finally could not return to Hong Kong. The first reunion was last March, after more than a year of not seeing each other.
She said frankly that she was worried and worried, "It seems that I have no choice if I want to go home and see my family."
Even British Airways, Cathay Pacific tickets have been cancelled
On the eve of this year's summer vacation, Guan Tai had bought a ticket from British Airways for his daughter to return to Hong Kong in June this year, and bought a Cathay Pacific ticket to return to Hong Kong as early as December last year, in case any flight was cancelled.
Unexpectedly, the two tickets failed to depart as scheduled. Although Cathay Pacific staff mentioned that they could choose to depart on a certain date in July, Cathay Pacific has not yet implemented the timetable. That is, there is a possibility that after the new date is selected, there will still be no flights on that day. delayed return to Hong Kong.
She described that buying a ticket many months in advance is like "buying a big ticket". Although you can choose the day at will, there may be no flight on that day. For example, she bought a London ticket for June 29 in March, but in the end there was no flight at all.
Guan Tai said that although some staff suggested that she could transfer to Frankfurt, Germany and then return to Hong Kong, her daughter was still young, and she was worried that when she arrived in another country and waited for a connecting flight, she would be stranded in another country due to a flight failure.
She said that many parents faced the same problem, "Everyone is so helpless, I don't know what to do."
A Cathay Pacific flight prepares to land in Hong Kong on April 14, 2022.
(Photo by Liao Yanxiong)
▼The epidemic lasted for more than two years, and the airport was full of passenger planes▼
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I didn't dare to tell my daughter that I didn't get the plane ticket
Last year, her daughter had the experience of staying in the UK. Mrs. Guan said that she was fortunate that her daughter had a friend who had just immigrated to the UK with her family, so she could stay temporarily.
Guan Tai said that because there are distant relatives in Singapore, if there is no direct flight ticket in the end, she may let her daughter transfer to Singapore and return to Hong Kong. In case of a circuit breaker, relatives will take care of her.
Guan Tai said that her daughter will need to take an exam later, and she has not yet informed the above situation, worried that it will affect her mood for taking the exam.
"Hong Kong disappeared from the air map" CPPCC is unclear about the logic of circuit breaker
Hu Dingxu, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, recently questioned that the circuit breaker mechanism will affect Hong Kong's foreign exchanges, and the logic is unclear; Willie Walsh, director-general of IATA (International Air Transport Association), also pointed out recently that Hong Kong's epidemic prevention policy has made it extremely difficult for airlines to enter and leave Hong Kong. To describe Hong Kong is like disappearing from the aviation map and losing its status as an international aviation hub.
Aviation scholars: It is important to clear the customs as soon as possible
Regarding the current situation, Luo Xiangguo, a senior consultant of the Center for Aviation Policy Research of Zhongda University, said that the circuit breaker mechanism obviously makes it difficult for airlines to operate. He understands that it is difficult for international students to buy air tickets. He believes that the government can relax the relevant regulations after referring to the previous experience. It is decided by epidemic prevention experts.
He went on to point out that Hong Kong is an international financial and commercial center, and many Hong Kong people live in other places. It is very important for ordinary citizens to connect with the international and the mainland. He believes that customs clearance is "a day earlier."
He continued that the most important thing at the moment is to strike a balance between the epidemic and the economy. Although the number of direct flights from the UK to Hong Kong is limited, it is still possible to transfer to other countries to arrive at Hong Kong. He believes that as long as there is demand, there will be flights to Hong Kong.
Doctor Liang Zichao: The number of people triggered by the circuit breaker mechanism should be adjusted
Respiratory specialist Liang Zichao also agreed that the triggering number of the circuit breaker mechanism can be moderately relaxed, for example, from three to five.
He said that due to the stabilization of the epidemic situation in Hong Kong, the ratio of imported cases to new cases has increased. It is necessary to be careful in response to the relaxation of the epidemic situation in various places, and it is also necessary to maintain certain epidemic prevention measures.
▼Airport drop off on April 18▼
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The lawmaker pointed out that the flight interruption caused Hong Kong to lose its status as an aviation hub. Chen Fan: Will the lost aviation hub be inspected when the epidemic is under control?
Withdrawal of the ban on flights from nine countries to Hong Kong, the number of flights to Hong Kong continued, the number of long-distance diving aircraft was once cleared, the epidemic prevention policy approved by the International Air Transport Association was too strict, and its status as a hub disappeared from the map Cathay Pacific restarted the trainee pilot training program It is difficult for passengers to book quarantine hotels, the tourism industry hopes to increase the number of rooms and relax the flight circuit breaker rules