Update | 1,600 Hongkongers stranded in Japan by severe weather flown home
Cathay Pacific flies back 1,600 city residents overnight and plans more special trips
More than 1,000 Hongkongers left stranded for days after a severe winter snowstorm swept through northern Japan and cancelled Christmas for many of them have returned to Hong Kong overnight.
Airlines scrambled to repatriate tired and frustrated travellers who had been stuck at a Hokkaido airport after the popular winter holiday destination was battered by its biggest snowstorm in more than 50 years.
Watch: Snowstorm traps Hongkongers in Sapporo
The storm dumped 960mm of snow on Sapporo in Hokkaido prefecture from Friday, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights in the area, according to Japanese transport authorities.
In anticipation of the weather deteriorating in the region, Hong Kong’s biggest airline cancelled several scheduled flights between the two cities on Monday and Tuesday.
About 6,000 people were stranded on Friday night and Saturday night in New Chitose Airport, which serves the Japanese city of Sapporo.