'Staying at airport safest during big typhoons'
Transport Minister Lam Sai-hung said on Saturday that the safest option for people arriving at the airport in the most severe typhoons is to stay put in the terminal. Lam made the comments after chaos on Sunday, when hundreds of passengers scrambled for taxis when the issuance of the Increasing Gale or Storm Signal No. 9 halted Airport Express trains and buses as Typhoon Koinu swept past. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Lam noted that the No.9 and No. 10 signals, under which open-air MTR routes are suspended, usually stay in place for only a few hours. He says it's best for travellers to stay indoors under severe weather, but more can be done to minimise inconvenience. "Can we have better arrangements when travellers are stuck at the airport? For example, we don't have to let travellers stand there and queue for a taxi. Can we issue them tickets, so they can wait at restaurants and get notified when their taxi arrives?" he said. "We can see if more space can be given to travellers when they are waiting at the airport. There's also a hotel nearby... If travellers can wait for a taxi in a more comfortable environment, they may feel better." Asked whether coaches can be used to send travellers back to their homes or hotels, Lam said it's not feasible. "We have to be really careful. Road conditions are unpredictable during storms and extreme weather... If there's flooding, the coaches may be exposed to unsafe situations too," he said. The minister said he was also discussing with the MTR Corporation the arrangements for suspending the Airport Express during extreme weather, covering topics such as whether trains could be allowed to finish the whole journey if they have departed from the first station when the signal goes up.