No airline will cancel or delay a flight 15 hours prior to arrival at HKG because of thunderstorm forecast. Does not happen, period. NYC->HKG is Polar Route over China, so if there is diversion it will be MFM, CAN etc. And won't be TPE or KHH.

Actual schedule flight time from Hong Kong (ST Centre, not HKIA at CLK) to Macau heliport is 7 minutes.

There was casual men talk about HKG MFM flight. The conclusion from the chit chat was when you do an all in calculation the turbo-jets beats flying in total travel time.

There is also helicopter service between Shenzhen and Macau. While I've never availed of it myself, I'm pretty sure that the 15,000 foot rule does not apply, and that the routing is fairly direct. But, I am guessing a true SZX-HKG flight plan would be close to 200 miles in order climb to 15,000 feet while still in PRC airspace and get into the HKG approach pattern 30 miles out. I base these assumptions on my experiences with CAN-HKG flights, which have 60 additional miles in order to get to 15,000 feet.

Helicopters are scary.

Helicopter parents are even more scary!!!

That's true... They are both great in theory, but scary in practice. I nearly sh my pants the first time I sat in a helicopter and felt wind streaming in from a not completely closed door.

Flying in to Hong Kong early this week, be aware that Typhoon Nida is heading straight for the territory:

https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/07/3...it-on-tuesday/

Don't worry. There is a Li Ka Shing in Hong Kong.

But are his powers all they used to be? We shall see.

(This thread, Post 900, reports several long-haul flight cancellations from the U.S. as a result of the threatening typhoon: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...2016-a-60.html .)

UA and many American airlines cancel flight well in advance for issues that may or may not happen.

It is not an authoritative indicator.

"It is not an authoritative indicator."

Not sure there are any "authoritative indicators" when it comes to weather prediction.

In any event, HKO now predicts Nida becoming a Severe Typhoon as it approaches Hong Kong.

http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/currwx/tc_gis_e.htm

When you have one arrival and the same equipment is use for the next departure you can't have your equipment tied up by airport closure, more so when you don't have alternatives dealing with major MX at a far away outpost.

CX to suspend flights from 22:00 tonight 無綫新聞 - 受颱風影響 國泰港龍晚上十時起停飛 http://news.tvb.com/instant/579ed9bf6db28c810ce9f7aa/

Just posted over here

I count 12 cancelled CX flights alone between 7-10pm already :(

"Thousands of passengers stranded."

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/sectio....php?id=172256

"The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced that, due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Kwun Yam Beach, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach and Silver Mine Bay Beach, meaning beach-goers are advised not to swim."