Coronavirus crisis has left Hong Kong transit passengers stranded in airport for days, weeks, months

Trapped by Covid-19 restrictions, a handful of transit passengers bed down in one of the world’s major travel hubs, unable to reach their final destination

One traveller trying to transfer through to Vietnam has stayed in Hong Kong’s transit zone for three months

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Hong Kong airport has been a temporary home for a handful of transit passengers who have been unable to travel to their final destination because of Covid-19 curbs. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 10:07pm, 29 Jun 2020Updated: 7:27pm, 3 Aug 2020

In scenes reminiscent of Tom Hanks film The Terminal, a passenger has been stranded in Hong Kong International Airport for at least three months, one of several caught up in the transit restrictions introduced during the coronavirus crisis.

Their plight emerged when 11 transit travellers, who arrived in the city from Dubai to catch a connecting flight to mainland China, were stuck in the airport for five days.

A further six people remain in limbo in the international transit hub. They have all tested negative for the coronavirus, some relying on handouts from airlines and other sources of support, until their situation can be resolved.

Here is a rundown of their experiences, and how the authorities have responded.

Why are transit passengers stranded at Hong Kong International Airport?

As part of Hong Kong’s emergency response to the global health crisis, its airport transit services were suspended on March 25, only to resume on June 1. But China has remained off-limits for transfers.

Despite that prohibition, some passengers have been mistakenly allowed to board their flights.

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