Skift Take
Though largely peaceful, Asia isn't without a string of flash points. Two of its major airports have now been used as protest grounds. Isn't that enough for airport authorities and governments to ensure their national icons aren't ready for the taking?
Just as Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport sit-in in 2008 has become a distant memory, the use of Hong Kong International Airport as protest grounds underscores how easily “occupy airports” can happen, leaving a trail of destruction for an unwitting victim: the travel and tourism industry.
Exposing airports’ vulnerability, the Airport Authority Hong Kong on Sept. 6, ahead of another weekend of demonstrations, resorted to begging protesters to “spare our passengers further disruption.” In a half-page advertisement in the South China Morning Post, it pleaded with protesters “not to disrupt the journeys of tens of thousands of travelers who use our airport every day.”
The Airports Council International Asia-Pacific, based in Hong Kong, is equally helpless. Its strongest move to date is issuing a statement on August 14 condemning disruptions at Hong Kong’s airport.
“Since July, a number of public protests were staged at Hong Kong International Airport,” said the statement. “More recently, the protests on August 12 and 13 rendered significant disruptions to airport operations, including security risks and flight cancellations two days in a row.”
“We stand in solidarity with our colleagues at Hong Kong International Airport and Airport Authority Hong Kong. The aviation industry is a close-knit community and together, we stand firm and united in bringing people together, ensuring the safety and security of the traveling public by offering a network of safe and secure airports,” it added.
Flash points in Asia
It will be surprising if the council — which represents 113 members operating 600 airports in 49 countries/territories in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East — isn’t already
