Hong Kong protesters off to seize the airport entry

More than a dozen flights were cancelled Sunday as thousands of pro-democracy activists blocked routes to Hong Kong’s airport, a day after protesters and police fought pitched battles in some of the worst violence seen in the city since unrest began three months ago.

At least 16 flights were cancelled, the airport’s website said, with the departure hall packed with a backlog of passengers who had struggled to make it to the terminals.

Earlier, operators of the Airport Express train suspended services after the station was besieged, while black-clad protesters – hiding from CCTV cameras under umbrellas – built barricades at the bus terminus and attempted to stop traffic on the main road leading to the facility.

Stranded travellers were forced to abandon their lifts and drag their luggage along the airport road.