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MTR cuts ticket prices by half for weekend to compensate Hong Kong public over service failure, but lawmakers slam ‘petty favour’
- City’s railway operator estimates offer could benefit some 8 million people, with the firm bearing a cost exceeding HK$30 million (US$3.8 million)
- ‘Small token of gratitude’ criticised as inadequate for those affected during October 16 breakdown
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Hong Kong’s sole railway operator is slashing its ticket prices by half this weekend to compensate the public for its worst service failure ever that inconvenienced hundreds of thousands of commuters for six hours earlier this month.
At a Legislative Council meeting on Monday, the MTR Corporation announced that adults travelling by train on November 3 and 4 would have the costs of their trips cut 50 per cent, while those already enjoying ticket discounts such as the elderly, children and students could enjoy a fare of HK$1 per trip regardless of travel distance.
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“We are deeply sorry for the incident on October 16 and its impact on the public,” MTR operations director Adi Lau Tin-shing said, referring to the unprecedented service halt. “The ticket fare discount is a small token of our gratitude.”
The severe breakdown on four of the city’s rail lines – Island, Kwun Tong, Tseung Kwan O and Tsuen Wan – caused six hours of serious delays and commuter turmoil during morning rush hour on October 16. Preliminary findings showed the incident was caused by a system failure, ruling out blame on a signalling upgrade project, computer virus or sabotage.
Lau estimated the offer could benefit some 8 million people, with the operator bearing a cost exceeding HK$30 million (US$3.8 million).
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