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Letters | Don’t just reopen Hong Kong – have a plan and do it correctly

  • Instead of rushing to reopen, the city needs a clear plan and must give airlines enough lead time to make sure reopening is smooth and successful

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A woman and her children make their way to queue for a bus to their quarantine hotel in the arrival hall at Hong Kong International Airport on July 12. Photo: EPA-EFE
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As B. Kwan has observed, the world will not wait for Hong Kong to open up at some unknown time in the future (“The world won’t stand still for Hong Kong – just look at the crowds flocking to Singapore instead”, July 15). It is therefore imperative that there is a clear plan towards normalisation of international connectivity and the end of quarantine for international arrivals.
However, Hong Kong must learn the lessons experienced in the rest of the world, where acute shortages of aviation staff have led to mayhem at airports and widespread flight delays and cancellations.

If the government was to announce today that quarantine-free travel would commence in stages from, say, November 1, this would give airlines and aviation contractors valuable lead time to recruit and train staff, many of whom were made redundant in the past two years.

Hong Kong should not merely aim to reopen. It should aim to reopen seamlessly with the operational efficiency that made it a famous and valued global aviation hub.

Nicholas Tam, Sai Ying Pun

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