Hong Kong cancels 130 flights as protesters flood its airport
Hong Kong's airport was at a near standstill Monday as protestors flooded its arrival and departure halls.
The country's airport authority canceled more than 130 outbound flights, in addition to inbound flights that had not yet taken off, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The cancellations come after a bloody night of clashes between protesters and police, and as protests against Beijing raged on for a 10th consecutive weekend.
Monday's protests caused Cathay Pacific CEO Rupert Hogg to write a letter to the airline's employees, warning them not to participate in the events.
"Cathay Pacific Group has a zero tolerance approach to illegal activities," he wrote. "Specifically, in the current context, there will be disciplinary consequences for employees who support or participate in illegal protests."
Email frm @cathaypacific to staff on Monday.
— Kinling Lo 盧建靈 (@kinlinglo) August 12, 2019
//Specifically, in the current context, there will be disciplinary consequences for employees who support or participate in illegal protests. These consequences could be serious and may include termination of employment// #HongKong pic.twitter.com/gSApXmkmjd
Chinese troops last week amassed at the Hong Kong border, sparking concerns Beijing could enact martial law, leading to a citywide strike that ended up in the cancellation of more than 200 flights.
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Hong Kong's $363 billion economy is feeling the pain as the protests have caused tourists to stay away. Bank of America Merrill Lynch economists now expect gross domestic product growth of 0.8 percent in 2019, down from their prior estimate of 2.2 percnet. Others are suggesting Hong Kong's economy could tip into a recession.