Airport to seek better solutions after huge cab queues
The Airport Authority on Monday said it would work to improve transport arrangements for passengers arriving in Hong Kong during stormy weather, as it acknowledged that people were forced to wait an average of three hours for a taxi to leave the airport overnight. With buses and above-ground MTR services out of commission because of the storm, passengers piled in to taxi stands to get to the city One disgruntled passenger told RTHK he had to wait for six hours before getting a cab. Others complained that drivers asked for double fare, and took off when they refused to pay up. One man said the authorities should have been better prepared. “The government really reacted very slowly,” he said. “They should have reopened the Airport Express at midnight… They should have known. Someone told me the T9 was issued even before I boarded my flight, and all rail services were suspended. Just how slow was the government in reacting? The flights weren’t cancelled so all they all kept coming in, so how are people supposed to leave?” The executive director of airport operations at the Airport Authority, Steven Yiu, explained that airport operations were largely unaffected by the storm, and around 16,000 passengers arrived on 83 flights between 7pm and midnight on Sunday. He said the authority had immediately contacted taxi associations to get more cabs to come in, but the calls went largely unanswered, resulting in hours-long waits for passengers. Yiu said the authority would discuss the issue with transport officials and the MTR, to see whether better arrangements could be put in place to ensure more taxis get to the airport, and if limited train services can be maintained. It wasn’t just the airport that saw people stranded without a good way to get home – many people were left wondering what to do after above-ground MTR services were halted amid the driving wind and rain. Some drivers tried to help by posting where they were going on social media, so that they can give a free ride to stranded commuters who were also headed the same way. A company that usually offers coach services for tourists also got in on the act – saying it had offered eight coaches between Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun. It explained that as public transport services were suspended due to the T9 signal, it felt “obliged to offer a helping hand to get people home.”