The Hong Kong International Airport experienced busier-than-usual traffic on Sunday as residents left in droves for the Christmas holidays, with the estimated waiting time between security checks and departure gate access exceeding two hours at one stage.
Expecting heavier traffic and longer queues, many passengers arrived at the airport hours in advance to avoid rushing before their scheduled flights.
Hongkongers interviewed by the Post 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 getaway.
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 to other holiday times, the airport today does not seem too hectic,” said Tsoi.