A day after thousands of protesters gathered into one of the terminals of the airport, almost 200 flights out of the Hong Kong International Airport were cancelled on Tuesday, causing massive disruption.
At least 180 outbound flights have been cancelled, the airport said in a statement on its website.
“Hong Kong International Airport will implement flight rescheduling on Tuesday with flight movements expected to be affected,” Efe news quoted the statement as saying.
“Please confirm the flights before heading to the airport,” it added.
Airlines including Cathay Pacific have asked passengers to postpone non-essential travel from Hong Kong and not proceed to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking.
Demonstrators descended on the arrival and departure halls of the complex, with their growing numbers preventing passengers from checking in or clearing airport security for flights, the South China Morning Post reported.
Meanwhile, scenes of long lines and crowds continued to be seen on Tuesday morning at the airport, which struggled to recover from the protests a day earlier, during which demonstrators sought to draw attention to what they consider police brutality while trying to disperse protests in the city.
On Sunday, an unknown number of police officers were injured after protesters threw Molotov cocktails at them.
A former British colony, Hong Kong passed to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, although it still retains a degree of independence from Beijing.
According to the handover deal between London and Beijing, this political system – which includes certain legal freedoms not recognized in mainland China – must be preserved until 2047.
This development comes after the city witnessed the 10th consecutive weekend of demonstrations sparked off by the government’s controversial extradition bill that was later shelved by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam after coming under intense popular pressure.