Coronavirus: flights from Britain to Hong Kong set to resume this week for first time since Christmas cut-off
- The rules relaxation will accompany Britain’s reclassification from ‘extremely high risk’ to ‘very high risk’ as infections there dip and vaccination rates soar
- More than 1,000 Hongkongers remain stranded in the country, while others have travelled to third destinations for 21 days to get around current rules
Hong Kong will resume passenger flights from Britain this week for the first time since December 25, the Post has learned.
A source familiar with the situation said the flights would be resumed this week, explaining the decision was based on the reduced number of daily infections in Britain, the high vaccination rate and the overall pandemic situation.
In an official announcement two weeks ago, the Hong Kong government said it would consider lowering country classifications from “extremely high risk” to “very high risk” where appropriate.
The inbound-flight ban came as a mutant coronavirus strain emerged in Britain last year, with the flight restriction leaving an estimated 1,000 Hongkongers still stranded in the country.
Previously, authorities barred anyone who had been in Britain for more than two hours in a 21-day window from boarding flights to Hong Kong.
In mid-April, the government said it intended to lift the ban in early May by reclassifying Britain to a so-called A2 country, lowering it from the “extremely high risk” category to “very high risk”.