Govt prepared for flight ban easing

March 31, 2022

Chief Executive Carrie Lam：

Tomorrow, on April 1, will be the first day that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government lifts the place-specific flight suspension in respect of the nine countries.

The figures that I was given yesterday indicated that there should be over 20 flights with over 2,000 passengers coming back to Hong Kong, disregarding the (number of) transit passengers.

We have taken it very seriously to make sure that the whole process of Hong Kong residents arriving, and then taking the (polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based nucleic acid) tests (under the “test-and-hold” arrangement) at the airport, and then (being) transported to the designated quarantine hotels, is a smooth process.

That is why an inter-departmental meeting (was) held yesterday, chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, to make sure that we have the capacity, we have the staff and the testing contractors will be geared up to look after the several thousands (of) passengers arriving. And also the transportation (is ready) because we have to arrange designated transportation.

So I can tell you that we have made full preparation for their return and I hope that they will all have a pleasant trip back to Hong Kong.

The anti-epidemic (service) bags that we are packing yesterday and today and tomorrow would also be made available to these Hong Kong residents coming back, probably at the hotels, so that they could also do the rapid antigen tests.

And if they have (tested) negative (for rapid antigen tests) on day six and day seven and (also have) a PCR negative (test result) on day five, they could be discharged from the designated quarantine hotels.

(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today said the Government has made full preparation for Hong Kong residents to return to the city when the place-specific flight ban is lifted on April 1.

From tomorrow, the flight ban on nine countries including Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the UK, the US and Nepal will be eased.

At the daily press conference this morning, Mrs Lam said more than 20 flights with over 2,000 passengers are expected to return to Hong Kong, disregarding the number of transit passengers.

She also pointed out that the Chief Secretary chaired an inter-departmental meeting yesterday to ensure that the return of Hong Kong residents will be smooth.

“We have taken it very seriously to make sure that the whole process of Hong Kong residents arriving, and then taking the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based nucleic acid tests under the 'test-and-hold' arrangement at the airport, and then being transported to the designated quarantine hotels, is a smooth process.

“That is why an inter-departmental meeting was held yesterday, chaired by the Chief Secretary, to make sure that we have the capacity, we have the staff and the testing contractors will be geared up to look after the several-thousands of passengers arriving. And also the transportation because we have to arrange designated transportation.

“So I can tell you that we have made full preparation for their return and I hope that they will all have a pleasant trip back to Hong Kong.”

The Chief Executive also noted that the Government will give out anti-epidemic service bags to the returning Hong Kong residents at the hotels for them to carry out rapid antigen tests.

If they test negative on the sixth and seventh day of their arrival and also have a negative PCR test result on the fifth day, they may be discharged from the designated quarantine hotels, Mrs Lam added.