Weather and bad behavior cause rides to stop at Hong Kong Disney

by Josh Lew on

According to the operations manager of Hong Kong’s Disneyland, the leading cause of ride stoppages is weather. Nearly seventy percent of all prematurely stopped rides are due to high winds, lightning, or rainfall. But that does not mean that there are not other reasons for cutting the fun short. One of the largest reasons, besides weather, is bad behavior.

According to the park: “The human causes include standing up during rides to take photographs, striking backdrops with umbrellas, or noticeably terrified children being forced onto rides by parents.” So, think twice before dragging Junior on to the super-coaster.

The safety-first rules occasionally cause confrontations between park staff and unruly guests. Staff have recently received training in dealing with guests who don’t know or care about the rules.

The park’s most time consuming task is not enforcing its safety code or watching the skies. It is the nightly inspection of rides, bolt by bolt, that eats away most of the Mouse’s security budget.

Direct flights between China and Taiwan resume

by Jamie Rhein on

The miles between Taiwan and mainland China are not many. But, in history the distance across the Taiwan Strait has been huge.

When I lived in Taiwan in the late 1990s, travel to cities in mainland China from Taiwan meant heading to another country or through Hong Kong first. There weren’t any direct flights otherwise. This meant a vacation that might have been an inexpensive and easy trip involved more time and money. As a result, we traveled in Taiwan or headed to Thailand instead.

Today the tides have changed. According to this article, the first direct passenger plane between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China (China) happened early this morning. The last such flight was in 1949 after China’s civil war when Chiang Kai-shek headed to Taiwan to set up another government. Along with this first flight will be 16 others over the course of today and several more throughout the week. Recently, there have been special tourist charter flights, but today air traffic has been normalized for the regular traveler who is not part of a special group.

This is big news indeed. It does indicate a more normalized relationship between Taiwan and the mainland, for one thing, and points to the power of the tourist dollar. Tourism between these two countries will economically benefit both. It’s estimated that by 2010 the number of Chinese tourists to Taiwan could triple, according to the president of Taiwan’s China Airlines.

I’m wondering where they will all fit on a weekend? Seriously, there are some places in Taiwan that are already absolutely packed on a holiday.

Is bird flu making a comeback?

by Josh Lew on

Three chickens in Hong Kong recently tested positive for the bird flu. The sick birds were found on a farm with 60,000 chickens. Actually, the infected birds only tested positive for the H5 virus. Further tests are needed to discern if the deadly N1 strain is present.

Officials are acting quickly. The 60,000 feathered farm residents were destroyed, along with 20,000 others in the area. This will, one hopes, prevent the spread of H5 to other birds in the territory. As a precaution, authorities have imposed a 21-day ban on poultry imports. All farms surrounding the one with the infected birds are considered part of the area.

As scary as it might be to hear that the dreaded virus is still lurking, it is equally encouraging to see a swift response by authorities. Despite the fact that H5N1 hasn’t been in the news lately, health officials, at least in Honkers, have not become complacent.

Michelin comes to Hong Kong. Will it ever be the same?

by Josh Lew on

Michelin, the famous (or infamous) French restaurant guide has been branching out lately. Two years ago, Tokyo became the first Asian city to be visited by the star-giving gourmet food experts. This year, Tokyo received more stars than any other city. For those unfamiliar with the Michelin rating system: 1 star means your restaurant is awesome, two means it is unbelievably awesome, and three means you provide nothing less than orgasmic gourmet experience.

Hong Kong and Macau became the second Asian destination for Michelin. Two restaurants received the coveted three star rating, while two dozen others received one or two stars.

In the US and Europe, a Michelin star can make a chef’s career. The fame doesn’t yet translate in the Pacific Rim. But gourmet cuisine is definitely on the rise in Hong Kong. I hope the coming of Michelin doesn’t change the culinary atmosphere there. What would the city be without the chaotic dim sum joints, the hidden away seafood restaurants, and tiny noodle shops? The whole “food as art” thing has its place. There is nothing wrong with it. But if everyone suddenly goes gourmet, Hong Kong would lose its wild restaurant culture. If that happens, then the whole territory might as well just break off and sink into the South China Seas.

[Via Globespotters and The Standard HK]

Cathay Pacific Freezes Recruiting Because of Low Demand

by Josh Lew on

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific has always been one of the world’s top airlines. But the ever-lower demand for air travel has touched them as it has every other airline. An article in an internal publication distributed to Cathay’s employees two weeks ago announced that there will be a company-wide recruiting freeze. No layoffs yet, but the hiring stoppage will include Cathay’s subsidiary, Dragonair. The freeze was confirmed today.

That means no fresh faces in an airline that is famous for its top-notch service (and leggy, poised flight attendants). Exec Tony Tyler remains optimistic that the industry, and Cathay, will return to their old ways in short order. ”I remain unashamedly optimistic about the future of aviation in Asia – just think of the potential in China and India alone.”

Cathay, like the regions other major players, is straining on its leash, waiting to carve out its space in new, lucrative routes in China and on the subcontinent. They just have to make it through these slow times intact.

[Via The Standard HK]