Hongkongers gathered at airport gate as LNY adventures await

As the Lunar New Year holiday drew near, a bustling crowd of travelers gathered at the airport, excitedly preparing for their long-awaited getaway during the festive break.

The departure hall was busy with long lines at both the contactless e-channels and the flight check-in counters around 10am on Sunday.

Some citizens were worried about the crowds and arrived at the airport several hours earlier, noting the process went more smoothly than expected.

Most of the travelers are set to spend their Lunar New Year in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Wong, traveling with his family, will be flying to Hokkaido for the Icebreaker Ship Aurora, stating they had spent Christmas in Hong Kong and are now ready to enjoy some leisure time as a family.

Adrain, a student, shared his excitement about his trip despite not finishing his holiday homework.

Chung, who is heading to Osaka for six days, noted the flight and hotel prices during the LNY holidays were nearly 50 percent higher than usual, totaling around HK$15,000.

He also pointed out that the depreciation of the Japanese yen has made Japan an appealing destination for travelers. 

Meanwhile, Kwok's family came from Guangzhou to Hong Kong a day before their 5-day trip to Japan, noting the air tickets and hotel packages for five people amounted to approximately 10,000 yuan per person. 

Kwok added that direct flights from Guangzhou to Japan are usually expensive, and they prefer departing from the Hong Kong for international flights. 

Leung, whose company offers a two-week break during the Lunar New Year holiday, will spend 5 days in Seoul, South Korea with her children to enjoy skiing.