Hong Kong lifts Covid-19 flight ban mechanism

Though we have opened the borders already to visitors and returning locals, the city’s lack of quarantine hotels and flight ban mechanism – which prevents airlines from flying to Hong Kong for five days if a flight route brought in at least five passengers positive for coronavirus to the city – still impose hurdles for travellers.  

But starting today, the Hong Kong government will suspend the mechanism and allow currently banned flights to fly to the city. The flight suspension mechanism was created to prevent the importation of Covid-19 infections from high-risk areas, but after tallying 100 suspensions this year, authorities decided to amend the rules to allow more arrivals, especially returning overseas students in the city. 

Quarantine rules and entry requirements for both foreigners and residents will still apply. Arrivals must book a quarantine hotel for seven days, and undergo daily rapid tests and six RT-PCR tests over the course of 14 days when they enter Hong Kong. From Friday, the government will also impose an additional RT-PCR test on the third day of arrival to prevent further importation of cases in the community.