CHENNAI: Hong Kong-bound and Chennai-bound Cathay Pacific flights have been cancelled as a precautionary measure amid a warning over Typhoon Noul, which is expected to bring severe weather conditions to Hong Kong. Passengers affected by the cancellations have been accommodated in hotels, with the Chennai-Hong Kong flight scheduled to depart early Monday morning.
A Cathay Pacific flight carrying 217 passengers arrived at Chennai International Airport from Hong Kong at 11.50pm on Saturday. The aircraft was scheduled to return to Hong Kong at 12.50am with 220 passengers, but the flight was cancelled due to the typhoon warning in Hong Kong.
Passengers who had not received the cancellation information and reached the airport were accommodated at various hotels in Chennai. They have been informed that they will be flown to Hong Kong early Monday morning.
Meanwhile, the Cathay Pacific flight scheduled to arrive in Chennai from Hong Kong at 11.50pm on Sunday has also been cancelled due to the typhoon warning. The aircraft that arrived in Chennai on Saturday night has been parked at the remote bay of the airport and is expected to depart for Hong Kong early Monday with the stranded passengers.
The cancellation has also affected passengers travelling to destinations including London, Tokyo, Melbourne, Seoul and Chicago, as the Chennai-Hong Kong flight serves as a connecting service for these international destinations.