450 flights delayed after Hong Kong airport runway closed for 8 hours over cargo jet emergency

The Hong Kong Airport Authority has been urged to review its contingency procedures after hundreds of passengers’ travel plans were thrown into turmoil on Monday amid an eight-hour closure of a runway triggered by a cargo plane bursting a tyre during an emergency landing. The call by a legislator came as an aviation expert also said the authority should have notified the public and other airlines sooner, but he appreciated the long time taken to resume full operations of the runway given the safety concerns involved. The north runway at the airport was forced to close shortly after 7am after a cargo plane made the emergency return landing when its hydraulic system failed and it burst a tyre upon landing. The runway did not resume normal operations until 3.45pm. Nearly half or 450 of the 932 flights handled at the airport between 7am and midnight were delayed as a result, according to the authority. Only Hong Kong International Airport’s south runway was operating as a result of the emergency. One runway closed for modification works in 2022 and will reopen this year. Passengers said their itineraries were severely affected, with some missing their onwards connections. Legislative Council transport panel chairman Chan Han-pan said the authority should review its contingency plans and procedures. <br/>