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Jiang Chuqin

Fan Chen

Hong Kong International Airport and the West Kowloon cross-border high-speed rail terminus were packed on Sunday as residents left in droves for the Christmas holidays, resulting in a net outflow of people.
The airport experienced busier-than-usual traffic, with the estimated waiting time between security checks and departure gate access exceeding two hours at one stage. Many passengers arrived at the airport hours in advance to avoid getting stuck in crowds before their scheduled flights.
Long queues of travellers with luggage packed the concourse of the West Kowloon terminus of the express rail link throughout the day.
Eunice So, a 30-year-old accountant, said she was going to Beijing with her family of six and would stay there for eight days. They planned to visit the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and Universal Studios.
“I have never been to Beijing. It’s famous,” she said.
Benny Ng Nga-Chi, in his 50s, and his wife were headed for Huizhou, Guangdong for a three-day trip, with local food and karaoke the biggest attractions for them.
“We plan to visit the West Lake, too,” Ng said, adding that their total budget was around HK$5,000 (US$643).
Other Hongkongers at the airport said they were taking several days off from work before the public holidays to create a week-long getaway, while many domestic helpers were travelling back to their home countries, some for the first time since the pandemic.
Adelaide Tsoi, a 30-year-old educator, decided to take 2½ days off work to extend her holiday into a six-day break.
She and her husband were heading to Malaysia with their daughter and would visit KidZania, an educational theme park where children can learn through interactive role-play, among other places. They had not set a specific budget for themselves, with Tsoi saying they simply wanted to “chill for several days”.
“I think compared with other holiday times, the airport today does not seem too hectic,” Tsoi said.
The family arrived more than three hours before their flight but found that check-in for their journey had not yet begun.
The Immigration Department estimated that more than 13 million passenger trips, including both locals and visitors, would pass through Hong Kong’s sea, land and air control points over the Christmas and New Year period, from December 21 to January 1.
According to the department’s statistics, there was a net outflow of 11,957 people through the West Kowloon terminus checkpoint and a net outflow of 22,171 at the airport as of 9pm on Sunday.

On Sunday, airport staff held signs to guide travellers to the correct queues.
Asked about the estimated time passengers needed to reach the gates after the first round of checks, one staff member said it could take an additional 2½ hours. Security and bag check queues were “very busy” and some gates were located a distance away, the employee said.
“We heard how crazy the line was last night, so we arrived at the airport a bit earlier. But it is smoother than we expected so far, including the traffic and the waiting time,” said Renee Lau Man-yu, a 36-year-old administration worker.
She was travelling to Beijing with her husband and two children for five days, and planned to visit several popular tourist destinations, including Universal Studios, the Palace Museum and the Great Wall.
Lorna Matias, 49, a Filipino domestic worker who has lived in Hong Kong for over 10 years, arrived at the airport at 10.30am, more than eight hours before her flight.
“I am too excited to go back home and see my family again after five years. It’s always better to be early than late since a lot of people choose to travel during the holidays,” she said, adding she would be on leave for three weeks.
Before the pandemic, Matias would return to the Philippines every year, but she has not been back since 2019. During last year’s holiday season, she travelled with her employers to several other countries to help take care of their child.
The Airport Authority provided entertainment in the afternoon in the arrival hall with a drone show held amid festive decorations, including a snowy forest tent and a stage surrounded by four illuminated Christmas trees.
At around 2pm, 50 drones took off and flew above the stage as part of a performance that included singers and dancers. People gathered to watch and take photos, with some lining up for pictures with performers and a Santa Claus character after the show.
Three to five drone shows were scheduled daily from December 20 to 26, with showtimes varying between 11am and 5pm.


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Travellers queue to check in at the departure hall of Hong Kong International Airport on Sunday morning. Photo: Elson Li

The Immigration Department estimates that over 13 million passenger trips, including both locals and visitors, would pass through Hong Kong’s control points during the holiday season. Photo: Elson Li

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Travellers at Hong Kong’s airport on Sunday. Photo: Elson Li

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Passengers arrive early to avoid rush, but waiting time between security checks and departure gates still long, at around two hours


Passengers arrive early to avoid rush, but waiting time between security checks and departure gates still long, at around two hours.
