Frustrating payback for free-ticket opportunity

Web users have slammed Hong Kong Airlines after they were kicked out from its website while queueing for the 8,500 free air tickets that started at 10am yesterday.

Two reporters logged in at 10am to book a flight to Tokyo, but the website displayed a two-hour waiting time.

Both were kicked out while in the queue and had to start the process all over again.

Many browsers took to the forums: "At least Cathay Pacific and HK Express let us wait. Hong Kong Airlines don't even let us in [to their website] and we can't even wait."

One browser said: "I was kicked out from the website thrice after filling in the payment details."

This round of free ticket giveaways is sponsored by Hong Kong International Airport's "World of Winners" campaign offering seven destinations - Tokyo, Fukuoka, Okinawa, Shanghai, Hainan, Taipei, and Beijing.

Travelers can grab one set of free round-trip tickets, excluding surcharges, with a travel period of two to seven days, between September 1 and March 24 next year.

Hong Kong Airlines said on Facebook that as of 6pm, only tickets to and from Haikou in Hainan were available.

Some browsers joked they will go "camping" at Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay, ahead of the carrier's next round of giveaways this weekend.

People can get a number token at the mall from 9am on Saturday, to win one of 1,000 free air tickets to destinations including Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo, Hokkaido, Bali, Bangkok, Taipei and Seoul.

Those with free tickets will be given a discount code for their companions to enjoy HK$150 cash discounts for purchasing tickets worth HK$1,000 or above.

Meanwhile, the Airport Authority said around 3.8 million passengers traveled through the airport last month, which represents a 14.9 percent increase from June and eight times year-on-year.

More than 120,000 passengers traveled daily on average last month. Flights climbed to 24,030 - 7.4 percent up on June.

The authority handled 20.4 million passengers in the first seven months this year, 15 times more than the same period in 2022.

The airport recorded a 10 times increase in passenger volume over the past year, to 24.8 million. Flight operations rose to 207,925, up 44.6 percent

It handled 142,840 flights, up 94 percent year-on-year, while cargo declined 4.2 percent from last year to 2.4 million tonnes.

The airport received a level three accreditation - the highest rank under the Airports Council International's Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Program for its commitment to improving accessibility for disabilities through innovation and technology.

Executive director of airport operations Steven Yiu Siu-chung said: "Care for passengers and staff is at the core of HKIA's operations. We are pleased to receive this accreditation from ACI."

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com