Hong Kong plans to suspend flights in wake of super typhoon

Hong Kong International Airport appears set to cancel its passenger flights in preparation for a...
Hong Kong International Airport appears set to cancel its passenger flights in preparation for a super typhoon. Photo: Getty Images
Hong Kong International Airport is planning to suspend all passenger flights for 36 hours as the Asian financial hub prepares for one of its strongest super typhoons in years, Bloomberg News reported today, citing people familiar with the matter.

Airport and aviation officials are set to stop all flights from as early as 6pm (10pm NZT) tomorrow till 6am (10am NZT) on Thursday, as Super Typhoon Ragasa advances, the report added.

A spokesperson for Airport Authority Hong Kong said it is closely monitoring the developments regarding Ragasa and has commenced preparations to deal with the super typhoon.

An official announcement is expected to happen on Monday and the Hong Kong Observatory plans to hoist its first precautionary signal for the storm around noon, according to the report.

The Civil Aviation Department did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The Philippines suspended work and classes across Metro Manila and large parts of the country on Monday as Ragasa moved toward northern Luzon, threatening destructive winds and heavy rain.