SIA, Scooter flights affected by Typhoon Kong-rey ravaging Taiwan

SINGAPORE: Typhoon Kong-reyOne of the biggest storms to hit Taiwan in decades caused the cancellation of several Singapore Airlines and Scoot flights on Thursday (October 31).

One flight originally bound for Taipei was also diverted to Hong Kong due to weather conditions caused by the typhoon, a Singapore Airlines (SIA) spokesperson said.

Flight SQ878 carried 317 passengers and 14 crew.

The Boeing 787-10 landed “without any problems” at Hong Kong International Airport around 5:10 p.m. local time, the spokesperson said.

“SIA provided meals and issued meal vouchers to affected customers on site.”

In a subsequent update on Thursday evening, the airline said SQ878 departed Hong Kong for Singapore at 6:56 pm local time.

Hotel accommodation will be arranged for affected customers in Singapore.

The airline will also assist affected customers in rebooking alternative flights from Singapore to Taipei, the spokesperson said.

Another SIA flight, SQ879, was cancelled. The plane was scheduled to leave Taipei for Singapore on Thursday evening.

The SIA spokesperson encouraged customers to update their contact details via the ‘manage booking’ function on its website or subscribe to a mobile notification service to receive updates on their flight status.

Typhoon Kong-rey also prompted Scoot, SIA’s low-cost subsidiary, to cancel three flights between Singapore and Japan with transit in Taipei.

The flights are TR893, TR874 and TR875.

“Scoot is contacting affected customers to place them on alternative flights, if available. Affected customers can also request a full refund if they choose not to continue their trip,” a spokesperson said in response to questions from CNA.

The airline is monitoring the situation and will adjust its flight schedules if necessary, the spokesperson said.

Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall on Taiwan’s east coast on Thursday, forcing airports to cancel more than 300 international flights and all domestic flights.

It is expected to graze along the coast of China’s Fujian province on Friday.

One death has been reported in Taiwan related to the typhoon.