"COVID-19 Source, 'Hamster' Culling Policy... Hong Kong Residents Charter Special Flights"

Chartering a Private Jet with Approximately 30 Million KRW Per Person

A quarantine officer in Hong Kong is passing by a pet store.
Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Recently, after Hong Kong quarantine authorities culled about 2,000 hamsters suspected as sources of COVID-19 infection, alarmed Hong Kong residents are seeking charter flights to leave the country with their pets.

On the 20th (local time), the British Financial Times (FT) reported that Hong Kong residents who own pets are pooling money to arrange charter flights. The media analyzed that since the implementation of the National Security Law in June last year, increased government control and the inclusion of pets in quarantine measures have caused fear among Hong Kong residents, prompting them to join this movement.

Earlier, on the 16th, an employee at a pet shop selling rodents such as hamsters in Hong Kong was infected with the COVID-19 Delta variant. Hong Kong health authorities suspected hamsters as the infection source and decided to euthanize about 2,000 hamsters sold in Hong Kong as a preventive measure.

Chris Phillips, head of pets at the charter flight intermediary Air Charter Service, stated, "Recently, demand for charter flights has been tremendous. Hong Kong residents who consider their pets as family members have formed groups to rent charter flights to leave the country despite the high costs."

Dog Express, a pet travel and immigration company, is also reported to have completed reservations for three pet charter flights recently. Top Stars Air said, "Next month, a flight to London carrying seven pets and six owners will depart."

Professor Anette Schirmer of the Chinese University of Hong Kong also said, "I am currently looking for a charter flight to leave Hong Kong for Europe in May with three dogs and one cat."

The cost of arranging a charter flight is also considerable. According to FT, Hong Kong residents need to pay around 200,000 Hong Kong dollars (about 30 million KRW) each for groups of six to seven people to charter a single flight.

Steve Peavy, senior consultant at Fundale Kennel & Cattery, said, "It costs about 150,000 Hong Kong dollars (about 23 million KRW) to take a Labrador Retriever, which is classified as a large dog, to the UK."