Hong Kong Airport Simulates Major Surge of Passengers in Sign That City Could Relax Covid Curbs

  • Hub says simulation of 1,000 arrivals in 30 mins was ‘smooth’
  • City facing intense pressure to reopen to keep its hub status
Hong Kong May End Hotel Quarantine in November
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Hong Kong International Airport has conducted a trial run of a major surge in passenger arrivals, in one of the clearest signs yet the finance hub could soon further relax Covid curbs.

Authorities replicated 1,000 passengers -- about three to four planeloads -- arriving within a 30-minute timeframe at the hub Thursday to stress test the “ability of the current quarantine and testing processes,” according to a government statement. The airport is designed to handle 6,200 arrivals per hour normally, according to the city’s aviation regulator.