London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

Hong Kong parents who went to Britain to see their kids stuck in limbo

Hong Kong parents who went to Britain to see their kids stuck in limbo

Families now stuck in Britain are casting about for options for returning home, but to no avail.

For some parents of Hong Kong children studying overseas – most of whom have not seen their kids for months due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions – the festive season seemed like a good opportunity for a family reunion.

But for the parents who managed to travel to Britain to make good on that opportunity, the season’s cheer has curdled into worry, as they now find themselves stranded after the government banned all passenger flights from there following the discovery of an especially transmissible strain of coronavirus sweeping London and the country’s southeast.

Shirley Wong, a 45-year-old medical professional who works in a private hospital, arrived in Oxford on December 17 to visit her 17-year-old daughter, who studies in a boarding school.

She promised her colleagues she would be back by January after completing her quarantine, as the hospital was short on manpower, and she was even prepared to cut short her trip if the pandemic situation worsened.

But the sudden flight ban was “completely shocking” to her, leaving her no time for even last-minute preparations. Now stuck in limbo, she said she felt guilty that she cannot return on time.

“I’ve told my bosses about the situation, but we are all feeling helpless. As a professional, I feel guilty, and I want to go back to help my patients and colleagues,” she said.

Wong said she had tried asking many parties for help, including contacting the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office to see if charter flights could be arranged for stranded residents who needed to return for work, but nothing could be done.

“I don’t mind paying extra for quarantine hotels, or even being isolated for 28 days,” she said. “Please, just allow me to come back.”

Some parents have also reached out to education consultancies for assistance, according to Samuel Chan Sze-ming, founder of the Hong Kong-based Britannia StudyLink.

“These parents are anxious and nervous, but many of them are understanding – they know it is out of our control,” he said.

Local district councillor Anthony Sheik Bux, who is stranded in Britain himself, also wanted the government to organise a few flights for desperate residents to come home, and to inform them of the plans in advance.

“There needs to be a schedule [from the government], as there are many logistical issues to take care of, including booking for tests and hotels in advance,” Bux said.


Some Hongkongers in Britain have reached out to the government about the possibility of organising charter flights home.


Bux came to Liverpool in early December to visit his two sons and wife, all of whom are British citizens, after going some 10 months without seeing them.

Also surprised by the sudden ban, he said he was taking things in stride and working remotely, and hoped to leave Britain by mid-January.

Kevin Bowers – a lawyer who has been organising a consortium of companies to help Hongkongers with a new BN(O) visa application process set to launch in January – said he knew of several people who have been “marooned” in Britain as a result of the ban.

Bowers mentioned at least two families who were now stuck in a kind of dual limbo – unable to leave the country due to the flight ban, and barred from seeing their loved ones by fresh lockdowns in Britain.

“They came to see their kids at university, and their parents who now live there, but flew to London literally just before the tier 4 lockdown went into effect,” he said.

Those new lockdown measures – including a stay-at-home order and limitations on household mixing – went into effect on Sunday, just as bans on travellers from Britain were starting to pile up across Europe.

“Now, they can’t see their kids or parents, and are stuck in London, marooned in tier 4 lockdown,” said Bowers.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×