When Hong Kong’s skyline begins to vanish under a swirling grey wall and the harbour turns mean with white horses, you know nature has clocked on for a shift. And right now, Super Typhoon Ragasa is making landfall, and Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), one of Asia’s busiest gateways, is refusing to roll down the shutters.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) insists the show will continue, albeit with turbulence. From 6 pm on 23 September through 24 September, travellers are warned to expect “significant disruption” to flight operations, in plainer English: delays, cancellations, and a great deal of queueing.
The airport that never sleeps – not even in a typhoon
Despite Ragasa’s bluster, HKIA’s three runways will remain operational, the terminal building will stay open, and the lights of the duty-free shops will shine like beacons of capitalism in the storm. The Airport Emergency Centre will also be activated, corralling everyone from the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) to airline ground staff into one coordinated hub of frantic calm.
Their checklist is a storm-season greatest hits: securing air bridges, checking drainage, flood prevention on airport roads, and reinforcing nearby worksites. In short, making sure this airport doesn’t float away.
Comfort, care and creature necessities
AAHK knows there’s nothing worse than being stranded without a socket. So, a temporary rest area will be set up, complete with chairs and mobile charging stations. The aptly named Passenger Care Team will be out in force, doling out bottled water, snacks, and blankets to weary travellers.
Restaurants and shops will keep their ovens and tills humming, with some venues pledging 24-hour service as a silver lining in the storm clouds. After all, nothing says resilience quite like a bowl of noodles in a gale.
Getting there: easier said than done.
While the airport stays open, getting to it may prove trickier. Land transport will be severely affected once the city hoists a T8 or higher typhoon signal. The Taxi Queue Ticket System will be activated for those hoping to snag a cab. Instead of a mob scene, passengers will receive queue numbers from kiosks or a mobile app.
Airport staff aren’t forgotten either: shuttle buses between HKIA and Tung Chung are on standby, along with staff rest areas to ensure enough hands are available to keep the airport running.
The travel insurance minefield
For the traveller staring down a departure board filled with the word Cancelled, travel insurance becomes less of a checkbox and more of a lifeline.
Compare the Market’s Chris Ford states, “Comprehensive travel insurance policies often include coverage for losses related to natural disasters, provided the policy was purchased before the event occurred and the traveller follows safety advice in affected areas. However, some insurers may require natural disaster cover to be added as an optional extra.”
Ford advises that for those considering cancelling their plans, the first step should be carefully reviewing their policy documents. “Policyholders should contact their insurer before making any decisions. Insurers are actively monitoring impacted regions and are best placed to advise on available coverage. Some airlines that have cancelled or postponed flights have already begun contacting passengers, too.”
The extent of cover varies. “Depending on the insurer, travellers may be advised to cancel or postpone their trip. Coverage may include non-refundable travel and accommodation costs, or additional expenses if travel is rescheduled for a later date,” Ford explained. “Travellers who have not yet purchased insurance, or who bought their policy after the typhoon was declared, are unlikely to be covered for losses related to the event.”
And the final reminder? Not all travel insurance policies are created equal. As Ford put it, “Coverage for natural disasters varies significantly between providers, with different limits, conditions, and exclusions. Reviewing your policy before travelling is essential.”
Guidance from closer to home
The Australian Government’s Smartraveller website urges travellers to stay alert. Advice varies by country, but the principle is the same: follow local authorities, keep an eye on official alerts, and avoid unnecessary risks.
For Australians already caught in Ragasa’s path, assistance can be sought via the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre, which can direct travellers to English-speaking hospitals, arrange emergency accommodation, or notify family back home.
The broader picture
Super Typhoon Ragasa is disrupting flights and testing the capacity of Asia’s busiest hub airport to stay functional under duress. HKIA’s operational ballet runways, shops, eateries, staff, and support services are being pushed to their limits.
But in a city long accustomed to the dramatic clash of nature and commerce, there’s a certain inevitability about the response: the airport remains open, staff rally to the cause, and passengers are urged to hold onto their patience and their boarding passes.
One can’t help but admire the stoicism of an airport that insists on serving hot meals, offering Wi-Fi, and distributing blankets while a super typhoon rattles the windows. If airports had a national character, HKIA’s would surely be “unflappable.”
So yes, Hong Kong International Airport remains open, though not exactly business as usual. For the next two days, travellers will need flexibility, stamina, and perhaps an extra power bank. Because if there’s one lesson Ragasa is already teaching, the winds of travel rarely blow according to schedule.
By Charmaine Lu
