Travellers choose walking over gridlock as anti-government protesters paralyse transport links to Hong Kong International Airport
- Dozens of passengers forced to walk from as far as 16km (10 miles) away to make their flights – those who arrived waited for hours to reach city
- Some blasted protesters for inconveniences, others sympathised with non-cooperation campaign
Huiyee Chiew was so inconvenienced by the bumper-to-bumper gridlock surrounding Hong Kong’s airport on Sunday that she took matters into her own hands – or more accurately her feet.
With no other means of transport, the 25-year-old Malaysian chose to walk from Tung Chung for more than an hour in a panicked rush to make her flight.
Starting in early afternoon, hundreds of protesters flooded the airport and the neighbouring town of Tung Chung in yet another disruptive move to pressure the government to respond to their demands, which they feel have been ignored.
Airport Express, the direct rail line, and multiple bus routes were down from early afternoon. Roads were jammed with bumper-to-bumper vehicles to Tsing Ma Bridge. Many protesters, aircrews and travellers like Chiew were forced to walk in heat and intermittent rain for more than an hour to reach the airport.