Hong Kong airport disruption planned as another day of anti-government protest begins, with travellers preparing for the worst
- Plans to ‘stress test’ airport’s travel links lead bosses to impose special measures, including reduced Airport Express service
- Passengers head early to airport fearing chaos, while hundreds of protesters gather at shopping centre
A day of planned protests across Hong Kong that focuses on disrupting the airport has started as travellers prepare for the worst.
Demonstrators joined hands along a major Kowloon thoroughfare and others gathered at a shopping centre to kick-start Sunday’s anti-government demonstrations.
They came ahead of the proposed targeting of Hong Kong International Airport, under a “stress test” designed to disrupt travel to the air hub.
There is a strong police presence at the airport with at least six police vans, including unmarked vehicles, parked near the entrance of the departure hall at the airport. Two armoured vehicles also stopped briefly there.
Security at Hong Kong station, which serves the Airport Express, has been stepped up with two dozen officers and riot police patrolling the area.
Before noon on Sunday, some travellers feared major disruption and headed to the airport at least 12 hours before their flight was due to take-off.