Cathay Pacific to Cancel Over 500 Flights as Typhoon Approaches Hong Kong

Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific announced on Monday that it expects to cancel more than 500 flights due to the imminent arrival of Super Typhoon Ragasa, which is forecast to impact the Chinese financial hub.

“Starting at 6:00 pm tomorrow, 23 September, Cathay Pacific’s passenger flights arriving at and departing from Hong Kong International Airport will cease operations until resuming during daytime hours on Thursday,” a spokeswoman said during a Monday press conference.
“More than 500 flights are currently expected to be cancelled.”

Super Typhoon Ragasa is currently traversing the Luzon Strait, situated between southern Taiwan and northern Philippines, and is projected to strike Hong Kong and southern China on Tuesday.

According to the Philippines’ national weather service, as of 11:00 am local time (03:00 GMT), the storm’s centre recorded:

The Hong Kong Observatory has forecast that the city will experience gale to storm-force winds on Wednesday, accompanied by:

• Frequent heavy squally showers
• Significant storm surges

Officials are preparing emergency measures, including stacking sandbags and installing flood barriers in some coastal villages.

In anticipation of the typhoon: The Education Bureau announced that all schools will be suspended on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Hospital Authority confirmed that public hospitals have implemented special measures to ensure that emergency services remain operational during the storm.

Cathay Pacific Flight Disruption Overview