Hong Kong Airlines was still struggling to clear a backlog of passengers at Chek Lap Kok airport yesterday following last week's flight disruption because of storms.
At the airline's check-in counters, long queues stretched as far as the entrance of the arrival hall. Many travellers complained they had waited for more than two hours and tempers occasionally became so frayed that police had to be called in to help maintain order.
The airline said the backlog was mainly due to Typhoon Vicente last Monday - the worst storm to hit Hong Kong in 13 years - and the torrential rains that have been affecting many parts of the mainland.
Some ground crew members complained they had been working non-stop for more than 24 hours before being able to go home, while on Saturday about 20 staff members took sick leave in what was seen as a protest against the management's manpower arrangements.
The airline, which deployed workers from administrative offices to help at check-in counters, denied there was any 'sick leave strike'. In a statement, Sun Jianfeng, the airline's vice-president, said the sick leave rate yesterday was 8 per cent, which he described as being 'reasonable'.
Stanley Kan Ho-yin, director of the airline's service delivery department, also told reporters: 'Actually the company asked some colleagues to take rest because they had worked very long hours in the past few days.'