More customers were left disappointed on the third day of the troubled hot-air balloon festival at the Hong Kong waterfront on Saturday, as the displays were deflated again due to high temperatures.
At least 30 angry attendees gathered around the customer service counter of the AIA Hot Air Balloon Fest at one point, demanding refunds from the organiser, which had also failed to secure a licence for tethered balloon rides, a key attraction promoted for the event that started on Thursday.
About six hot-air balloons were inflated at the Central Harbourfront Event Space when it opened at 7.30am, but were taken down before 10.30am due to “weather conditions,” according to staff at the scene. The balloons were also deflated on Friday morning because of the hot weather.
The morning session of the event lasts until 1pm, but many people chose not to enter after realising they could not see any balloons, which was the primary reason they had purchased their tickets.
“We came here for the balloons. If there are no balloons, why is it advertised as a hot-air balloon festival in the first place?” said Madhvi Katechia, a stay-at-home mother who arrived at the venue with her two-year-old daughter and husband around 11am.
“I don’t want to pay HK$150 [each for an early bird ticket] just to eat food that I would have spent money on anyway.”
