Nothing is worse for a public festival than the fun and joy turning into a tragedy. Such a scenario could not have been ruled out had Hong Kong’s first hot-air balloon gala gone ahead with floating rides amid safety doubts. But the
abrupt cancellation of the much-touted attraction has inflated into a public relations disaster that does nothing for the city’s brand as a mega-event capital.
Revellers are entitled to feel outraged and
demand refunds after the AIA International Hot Air Balloon Fest failed to secure the required permit in time for its tethered rides, which came with a charge of HK$580 (US$74.3) on top of entrance fees of HK$200 for the morning session and HK$880 for a sunset ticket.
Officials said the results of the first field test conducted by the organiser on August 20 had been “unsatisfactory”, with the balloon’s operation posing significant safety risks. Only the display of hot-air balloons was approved; the rides were prohibited as there was insufficient time to assess passenger safety.
The news only came as the four-day festival opened on Thursday. The organiser apologised for causing public disappointment but just offered free re-entry for those who had bought entrance tickets. It was also forced to deflate all the balloons on display on Friday morning because of intense heat.
The Consumer Council said it was highly concerned about the incident, having received at least 28 complaints totalling about HK$40,000, with one case involving HK$4,956.
The 2013 hot-air balloon accident in Egypt that
killed nine Hongkongers is still in public memory. A tethered ride up to 20m above the Central harbourfront may seem less dangerous than a journey across the sky, but the risks must not be taken for granted.
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