Hong Kong residents stranded in Britain owing to Covid-19 travel ban battle about 6-week journey property

Hong Kong residents stranded in Britain owing to Covid-19 travel ban battle about 6-week journey property



people walking on a bridge: Those planning to return to Hong Kong from Britain must spend three weeks in a another country before arriving in the city, where they will have to spend another three weeks in quarantine at a hotel. Photo: Reuters


These setting up to return to Hong Kong from Britain will have to shell out three weeks in a an additional region just before arriving in the town, where they will have to devote a different 3 weeks in quarantine at a hotel. Photograph: Reuters

Hong Kong’s ban on travellers from Britain has left hundreds of city citizens stranded and experiencing a costly six-week journey if they want to get again at any time quickly.

Individuals determined to return must commit 3 months in a place outdoors Britain before continuing to Hong Kong, wherever they will have to spend yet another a few months in quarantine at a resort.

The predicament has been altering speedily in new days, leaving those people stranded having difficulties to perform out how to get back, how long their journey will acquire and what it will charge.

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On Thursday, Hong Kong extended by at the very least two weeks an entry ban on anybody who experienced been in Britain for a least of two hours in the prior 21 times. The ban was initially launched on December 22 to protect against the import of a a lot more transmissible pressure of Covid-19 spreading in Britain.

The city also extended a ban on flights from South Africa, where by the pressure reportedly initially emerged, and the 21-working day obligatory quarantine necessity for all arrivals from exterior mainland China, Taiwan and Macau.

Hundreds of pupils stranded in Britain as Hong Kong bans arrivals to shut out mutated Covid-19 strain

Numerous of those people stranded ended up contemplating stopping in excess of in Dubai, as the Hong Kong authorities by itself experienced advised previously. Even so, on Friday, the city’s authorities banned all Emirates flights from Dubai and Bangkok right up until January 22, soon after three of the airline’s travellers tested constructive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Hong Kong.

The most recent news remaining the team in Britain scrambling to decide what to do future, and regardless of whether to move forward with strategies to fly to Dubai in the hope that Hong Kong will carry the Emirates ban.

The extended journey back will price tens of 1000’s of dollars for 42 evenings in lodge rooms at their transit end and in Hong Kong.

“There is so substantially uncertainty, it’s outrageous,” mentioned Alexandra, a Hong Kong specialist stranded in Britain, who asked for her surname to be withheld.



a flock of birds sitting on top of a sunset: Hong Kong has extended by at least two weeks an entry ban on anyone who had been in Britain for a minimum of two hours in the previous 21 days. Photo: Reuters


© Presented by South China Early morning Article
Hong Kong has extended by at minimum two months an entry ban on everyone who experienced been in Britain for a minimum of two hours in the earlier 21 days. Photograph: Reuters

‘Can’t afford to pay for to take it easy restrictions’

Before the Emirates ban was announced, a Hong Kong government spokesman mentioned the authorities recognised its tightened limitations ended up stringent and afflicted the return journeys of Hong Kong people in Britain and South Africa.

But the spokesman included: “We simply are not able to afford to relax the relevant limits at this juncture, lest the anti-pandemic attempts of the whole community go down the drain.”

The constraints would be reviewed fortnightly, the spokesman stated in a statement.

With the travel ban in spot, several big airways had earlier cancelled all flights from Britain to Hong Kong at minimum till January 25.

“It has grow to be a true nightmare,” claimed Briton Adam Souissi, 39, a actual estate govt who has been residing in Hong Kong for two yrs and was viewing relatives in Britain when the ban arrived down.

“It can be had a heavy impression on my enterprise,” he reported, explaining that the time variance and lack of experience-to-deal with conversation with shoppers and colleagues experienced afflicted productiveness.

Soussi is taking into consideration possibly hunkering down in Britain right until the travel ban is lifted, or accomplishing the six-7 days journey via a different region.

“Either way I am going to be shelling out for this – both individually or by the business,” he reported, dissatisfied at the absence of steerage and economic assist from the Hong Kong government.

Right before Friday’s ban on Emirates flights, Dubai was the favored halt for stranded travellers thinking of the 6-week excursion back again to Hong Kong.

Dubai only calls for arrivals from Britain to just take a Covid-19 exam on entry, with no necessary quarantine at the time the test will come back unfavorable.

Now some are thinking about stopping more than in the Maldives in its place, though there are no immediate flights among the Indian Ocean island state and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong bans all passenger flights from Britain in bid to halt mutated strain from reaching city

‘Will my spouse give beginning in lodge?’

Between individuals influenced are a variety of teachers and college students who need to now be part of their on the internet lessons at midnight in Britain for the reason that of the time big difference with Hong Kong.

A Hong Kong resident stuck in Britain with her spouse and two teenage daughters, who go to an international university in the town, explained the uncertainty was really hard to bear and still left her ladies in tears on some days.

The loved ones, who have been residing in Hong Kong for a ten years, went to Britain to take a look at unwell kinfolk, aware of the challenges of travelling during a pandemic.

“Experienced we acknowledged what would take place, we would never ever have received on that plane,” reported the girl, who declined to be named.

The timing of Hong Kong’s journey ban could not have been worse for long lasting resident Matt Hayes and his spouse, who is extra than 30 weeks’ pregnant with their second little one.

His wife and three-12 months-aged son left for Britain very last month to check out a seriously unwell relatives member, and Hayes was because of to be part of them afterwards. But the travel ban took result although they were being mid-flight, holding him in Hong Kong and blocking his wife and son from returning.

With the clock ticking down until finally she is not able to fly due to the fact of her highly developed being pregnant, the six-7 days vacation could be the only choice if Hayes hopes to be current for his baby’s start.

“We would fairly not have to do it, but it truly is the only route the govt has provided us to get back again,” he explained.

The plan now is for his spouse and son to fly to Kenya, where by they have family members, and he will fulfill them there ahead of returning to Hong Kong alongside one another, with any luck , early upcoming month.

With the little one due at the finish of February, Hayes is retaining his fingers crossed that the household will entire their 21-working day quarantine in time. But offered all that has happened so far, he is fearful the child may well arrive while they are nonetheless in quarantine.

Just about amused at the imagined, he questioned: “What do we do then, give start in a resort room?”



a person standing in front of a store window: An empty arrival hall at Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Winson Wong


© Provided by South China Morning Submit
An empty arrival hall at Hong Kong Intercontinental Airport in Chek Lap Kok amid the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Winson Wong

Alexandra, who went to Britain in mid-December to check out her 93-12 months-aged grandfather, anticipated to be there for only a few weeks.

She has been keeping up at night, both for her work and to check out reaching any Hong Kong formal who might be equipped to assistance.

She recalled inquiring an immigration officer in excess of the cell phone irrespective of whether a constitution flight could be organised to convey the team of stranded citizens back again.

When the official laughed at her problem, she snapped, indicating: “What are you laughing for?”

She reported she felt so discouraged then, as it struck her that the plight of those stranded in Britain was not a significant make any difference for officials in Hong Kong.

Even if the govt could not resolve all their problems, she felt it could have appointed a liaison official to retain the group updated instead of leaving them on their individual.

“We just think this falls way beneath what is predicted of a governing administration all through a pandemic,” stated Alexandra.

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This article initially appeared on the South China Morning Publish (www.scmp.com), the foremost information media reporting on China and Asia.

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