Check-in operations at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) were suspended from 4:30pm local time on Tuesday as protesters occupied the terminals for a second day straight. Flights departing from the HKIA were suspended for the second day in a row.
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam decried the protests at a press conference on Tuesday, saying that they were about to push Hong Kong into a state of chaos.
“Let’s set aside differences and spend one minute to look at our city and our home. Could we bear to push it into an abyss where everything will perish?”, an emotional Lam said at the conference.
She reiterated that she felt that she was still capable of resolving the questions. Shortly after, she was heckled by reporters for dodging questions over whether she had the autonomy to withdraw the extradition bill.
In a bid to help international passengers cope with the inconvenience, some airlines have offered a free switch to nearby airports in Guangzhou, Macau, Shenzeh and Zhuhai.
Inbound flights are expected to be severely delayed. According to ANI, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a travel advisory for passengers flying to Hong Kong.
The MEA statement read, "Indian passengers are advised to be in touch with airlines to find alternative travel routes to avoid inconvenience, till normalcy is restored in airport operations." The advisory suggested that passengers contact their respective airlines to get a timeline for their flights, and shared a helpline number for them to contact their consulate, which is 852 90771083.
The South China Morning Post reported that Hong Kong's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific released a statement saying that the protesters had damaged Hong Kong's reputation as an internatonal aviation hub.
This is Hong Kong airport, the protesters are fighting peacefully here💪🏻#HKprotests #HKairport pic.twitter.com/EqyLkyr4vy
— Mazzielili (@Mazzielili) August 13, 2019
Exchanges between protestors and international passengers have been circulating on social media, with the latter trying to explain why they are speaking out.
Chinese central authorities have been taking a sterner view of the protests, terming them as “terrorist acts” and mobilizing armoured personnel carriers in the neighbouring city of Shenzhen.
The UN Human Rights Office has accused the Hong Kong police of using "less-lethal" weapons in "ways that are prohibited by international norms and standards," urging authorities to act with restraint and ensure that protesters rights are protected.
Impact on global stock markets
The airport shutdown has affected stock markets, with European, American and Chinese markets reacting both to the uncertain situation in China and to the possibility of an escalating trade war. Major index futures fell while demand for U.S. bonds, the Japanese yen and gold surged.
