While the eye of Severe Typhoon Fung-Wong churned more than 1,000 km away over the Philippine Sea, its outer rainbands and the associated northeast monsoon prompted Hong Kong’s Observatory to issue multiple strong-monsoon and gale warnings on 8 November. Airlines reacted quickly. Low-cost carrier HK Express cancelled its Hong Kong–Clark services (UO 532/533) for 9 November and began re-accommodating passengers, citing safety and predicted air-traffic-flow restrictions. Cathay Pacific, meanwhile, warned customers of potential knock-on delays to Manila, Taipei and Tokyo flights as air-routes would be re-sequenced around the storm.
At 4:30 p.m., the Observatory upgraded Fung-Wong to a severe typhoon with sustained winds of 155 km/h and forecast a continued west-north-west track towards Luzon. Although a direct hit on Hong Kong was unlikely, the forecaster noted that gales could reach the South China Coastal Waters and advised the aviation and maritime sectors to take “precautionary action.” Ferry operators suspended evening sailings to Macau’s Taipa terminal and Shekou in Shenzhen, and the Airport Authority activated its “Typhoon Stand-by” protocol, putting 1,200 extra staff on roster and pre-positioning cots and bottled water in Terminal 1.
![Severe Typhoon Fung-Wong Triggers Flight Cancellations and Travel Advisories at Hong Kong Airport]()
For corporate mobility teams, the lesson is two-fold: first, even distant storms can ripple through flight schedules because Hong Kong sits astride key Southeast Asian air corridors; second, budget carriers may pre-emptively cancel rather than risk day-of-operation diversions that strain slim fleets. Employers should remind travellers to monitor airline apps, ensure tickets are loaded into company duty-of-care trackers, and maintain flexible booking classes where mission-critical travel is concerned.
The storm is expected to skirt northern Luzon on Sunday and enter the South China Sea early next week. Should it veer north, Hong Kong could see the Standby Signal 1 as early as 11 November, potentially causing further schedule reshuffles. The Observatory will issue its next bulletin at 11:45 p.m.
At 4:30 p.m., the Observatory upgraded Fung-Wong to a severe typhoon with sustained winds of 155 km/h and forecast a continued west-north-west track towards Luzon. Although a direct hit on Hong Kong was unlikely, the forecaster noted that gales could reach the South China Coastal Waters and advised the aviation and maritime sectors to take “precautionary action.” Ferry operators suspended evening sailings to Macau’s Taipa terminal and Shekou in Shenzhen, and the Airport Authority activated its “Typhoon Stand-by” protocol, putting 1,200 extra staff on roster and pre-positioning cots and bottled water in Terminal 1.
For corporate mobility teams, the lesson is two-fold: first, even distant storms can ripple through flight schedules because Hong Kong sits astride key Southeast Asian air corridors; second, budget carriers may pre-emptively cancel rather than risk day-of-operation diversions that strain slim fleets. Employers should remind travellers to monitor airline apps, ensure tickets are loaded into company duty-of-care trackers, and maintain flexible booking classes where mission-critical travel is concerned.
The storm is expected to skirt northern Luzon on Sunday and enter the South China Sea early next week. Should it veer north, Hong Kong could see the Standby Signal 1 as early as 11 November, potentially causing further schedule reshuffles. The Observatory will issue its next bulletin at 11:45 p.m.
