Hong Kong union calls for investigation after HK Express removes two stowaways from plane

The incident occurred at around 2:55 p.m. on May 22 when 34-year-old Andy Chui Man-chun and 27-year-old John Li Chun-yin boarded a HK Express flight to Tokyo.

They had informed the airline in advance of their disability and had previously gone through check-in without any problems. They were escorted to the gate and briefed on security procedures by crew members.

But a few minutes before departure time, a crew member asked whether the passengers were accompanied by parents and asked them to leave the plane for “safety reasons”.

“We were told we could not take the flight because we did not meet safety standards,” Chui said. “The crew member told us the order was given by the pilot.”

The two were confused by the request and tried to reason with the crew member, but the crew member pulled on Li’s arm and dragged him out of the plane, so Chui had to follow him.

Both Li and Chui recalled that many other passengers were also puzzled by the arrangement and asked why visually impaired people were not allowed to fly on a scheduled flight.

“We felt insulted and ashamed, they treated us as if we were criminals,” Chui said, adding that they were asked to buy tickets for another flight “operated by another airline.”

They then contacted the union, which in turn asked the Civil Aviation Authority for support.

After the department’s intervention, the two boarded another HK Express flight to Tokyo at around 11 p.m.

They were also given four meal vouchers worth HK$60 each, with the reason for the issue stated “Protection from UO652.” UO652 is the HK Express flight number to Tokyo.

When Chui and Lui subsequently sent emails and phone calls to the airline seeking further explanations, they were told that the company could not identify the person who removed them from the plane or the person who gave the order to do so.

The airline’s explanations were also “inconsistent”. For example, a customer service representative told them that their seat on the original flight had been denied due to “overbooking”.

After the union invited the media to a press conference, HK Express sent an email on Saturday saying the two were fired because ground and cabin crew “could not reach an agreement” and their case would have to be submitted to management for further assessment.

The airline also apologized and promised to compensate the two travelers. It remains unconfirmed whether HK Express’s email was a response to the press conference.

Union leader Billy Wong Chun-hang said this was the second complaint they had received regarding the low-cost airline.

The first case was initiated last year when a visually impaired customer was asked to prove her disability and travel with an adult who could care for her physical and mental needs. The company later apologized and provided her with the necessary service, accompanying her to boarding after the union intervened.

“We have never experienced such problems with other airlines, only with HK Express. We know that the accessibility guidelines issued by the Civil Aviation Authority are not legally binding, but the company should conduct a thorough investigation and provide a full account of the incident,” Wong said.

“We also call on the Department to intensify its monitoring efforts to ensure that the airline has policies in place that adequately respect the rights and needs of people with disabilities.”

In a response to the Post, HK Express commercial director Kee Keat Ong denied that the airline had forcibly removed the two passengers.

“The flight crew’s decision was based solely on safety considerations and the staff on duty escorted the two passengers out of the cabin. We sincerely apologize for the delay and inconvenience caused to the two passengers.”

He added that the claim of “overbooking” was a “misunderstanding”. The company had not suggested that passengers travel with another airline at their own expense, but had actively arranged for them to take another flight on the same day.

The company said ground staff and flight crew followed “standard safety procedures” in assessing the situation of the two passengers, but came to “different conclusions.”

They therefore escalated the case to management for further assessment and the additional time required resulted in the two passengers being unable to travel on the original flight.

It was later confirmed that they could travel safely unaccompanied and they were rebooked on a later flight, Kee said.

“We have reviewed and improved our check-in procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future. HK Express reiterates that we have a strict equal opportunity policy and are committed to providing safe air travel for passengers with different needs.”