Some protesters called on the Chief Executive to step down. Photo: RTHK
Hundreds of people joined a sit-in at the airport on Sunday to protest over special treatment allegedly being given to the Chief Executive’s daughter ahead of a flight last month.
The Hong Kong Cabin Crew Federation, which organised the rally, said the incident was “unacceptable”, calling it an obvious breach of security regulations while accusing officials of putting passengers’ safety at risk. The federation said more than 2,500 people had taken part in the sit-in.
Protesters chanted for the safety of Hong Kong’s skies, and called on the Chief Executive to step down.
One of those protesting, David Chu, a former DAB legislator and local deputy to the National People's Congress, said he suspects airport staff involved in the incident have been put under pressure.
“I suspect the incident … involves misuse of power or influence,” he said. “None of the [staff involved] dare to speak out. Therefore I think there must be a problem and this is not healthy.”
The Apple Daily newspaper had earlier reported that CY Leung’s youngest daughter, Leung Chung-yan, forgot to bring her carry-on baggage through security checks when she was travelling to San Francisco on March 28.
It said Ms Leung’s mother, Regina, asked Cathay Pacific staff to take the bag to her daughter at the boarding gate – but that request was rejected, with staff explaining that this would violate security regulations.
The newspaper said Ms Leung then called her father for help and handed over her phone to a Cathay employee. It was then alleged that Mr Leung demanded the staff member’s assistance in retrieving the bag after insisting upon being called “Chief Executive Leung”.
The report said a senior Airport Authority executive then made the decision to have a staff member retrieve the luggage, which was said to have gone through security checks.
The Chief Executive denied that he had pressured airport staff into breaching safety regulations. He said he had no contact with Airport Authority staff, and did not exercise any “special power”.
He also denied that he had asked an airline staff member to address him as “Chief Executive Leung”, saying that he had only inquired about arrangements for picking up his daughter’s carry-on luggage if she were to leave without it.
In response to the sit-in, the government said it understood the public's concern about aviation security. It said the bag concerned went through security checks before entering the restricted area. It also said the Airport Authority would submit a report on the case to the government.
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Last updated: 2016-04-17 HKT 19:30
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1254936-20160417.htm
