Coronavirus: Hong Kong to allow foreigners to fly into city starting next month, government to ease flight suspension threshold

Coalition of largest travel agents in Hong Kong predicts that more than 100,000 visitors will arrive each month

Hong Kong will also relax threshold for suspending incoming flights carrying infected people starting on May 1

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Passengers arrive at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 7:00am, 22 Apr 2022Updated: 2:47pm, 23 Apr 2022

Hong Kong will allow foreigners to fly into the city starting next month, the government has announced, ending an entry ban that has kept most visitors away for more than two years and offering a potential lifeline to businesses long battered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The city will also relax the threshold for suspending incoming flights carrying infected passengers from May 1, officials said on Friday, confirming an earlier Post report. The existing three-person threshold will be raised to five, or 5 per cent of the passengers on a single flight, whichever is greater. The length of time flight routes are suspended will be cut from seven days to five.

In announcing the end of the entry ban, the Food and Health Bureau revealed the decision to reopen the city to foreigners was made after a government steering committee reviewed the situation.

“Considering public health factors … and balancing the expectation from members of the public as well as the various sectors of the community … the committee considers that there is room to suitably adjust relevant measures,” it said.