Hong Kong Airport closure: 36-hour shutdown with all flights grounded considered as Super Typhoon Ragasa nears

It would be the longest suspension of flights ever carried out at Hong Kong’s airport, and is likely to begin at 6pm local time on Tuesday and end at 6am on Thursday, according to reports. A decision is due to be made later today (Monday 22 September).

In the Philippines, thousands of people have been evacuated with the “catastrophic” storm set to make landfall on its northern islands on Monday. The storm, one of the strongest super typhoons in years, is likely to hit with wind gusts reaching 230km/h (143mph).

The Philippine weather bureau has warned of a “high risk of life-threatening storm surge” with waves exceeding three metres (10ft). Schools and government offices, including in the capital Manila, have been closed. Officials caution that Ragasa could trigger widespread flooding, landslides, and major damage to homes and infrastructure across affected regions.

Ragasa, locally called Nando, is reaching the Philippines at a time when the country is still reeling from weeks of heavy monsoon flooding. In Hong Kong, authorities have warned that conditions will “deteriorate rapidly” on Tuesday, with the education bureau reviewing school arrangements as the storm approaches.

The Airport Authority Hong Kong said in a statement that it is “closely monitoring developments” related to Ragasa and has “commenced preparations for the typhoon, covering areas such as apron safety, flight operations, passenger care, ground transportation services between the airport and the city and staff rest areas.”

Qantas Airways has already updated its website, confirming the closure. The Hong Kong Observatory is set to raise its first precautionary signal for the storm around noon.