The contentious HABFest that dominated Hong Kong’s headlines and social media feeds has finally announced that they will offer full refunds to ticket holders. This comes after the cancellation of balloon rides and a run in with bad weather angered Hongkongers citywide, who felt they were sold a fiction.
Initially, a huge selling point of the HABFest was the opportunity to ride a large tethered balloon that would ascend up to 20 metres for unblocked views of the harbour. However, on the opening day of September 4, the organiser announced that the government has only given them approval for flying captive balloons for display after deeming field tests for the balloon ride ‘unsatisfactory’. This means that there would be no passengers allowed on board the promised tethered balloon.
Last week, event organiser Grand Events Asia tried to smooth ruffled feathers by offering free access to the HABFest for customers who had purchased balloon ride tickets – with the caveat that entry should correspond with the timeslot of their cancelled balloon rides. To no one’s surprise, this did not go over well with Hongkongers, who criticised that the event had axed the main highlight.
What made matters worse was that several balloons that were supposed to be displayed in flight turned out to be grounded. Of the six large balloons and over 10 smaller ones promised, only eight were inflated during Friday’s sunset session while no balloons took flight during Saturday’s sunset session. On Sunday, September 7, Hong Kong saw the brunt of tropical cyclone Tapah, so no balloons were flown due to the bad weather while the music show at night was also cancelled.
Of course, given that hot air balloons are by their nature very weather-dependent, the safety of festival-goers and integrity of the balloons had to be given priority – but this did not stop Hongkongers from feeling like they were sold a lie. An adult ticket to the festival runs from $200 to $1,480, while the tethered balloon ride required an on-site additional purchase of $580 per passenger.
On Sunday evening, the event organiser announced via social media that they will offer full refunds for all HABFest tickets. ‘Despite our best efforts, we recognise that we fell short of delivering the expected customer experience [...] As such, we have decided to offer full refunds for all HABFest tickets to express our sincere apologies and gratitude,’ the post read.
Who is eligible for HABFest ticket refunds?
Refunds will be issued for all festival-goers who purchased tickets through official channels, including HK Ticketing, KKday, 01 Space, Dai Mai, and Trip.com. Handling fees charged by the ticketing platforms will not be refunded.
How can I process a HABFest ticket refund?
Refund requests can be made via email and phone calls from Tuesday, September 9 onwards. Full names that match the name on the bank account, proof of purchase and the ticket transaction number, bank account information, and a contact number must be provided. Refund requests will be entertained until 10am on October 8.
When will I receive my HABFest ticket refund?
Refunds will be processed after the submission deadline on October 8. Customers can expect refunds to be completed within 30 days, by November 7, via bank transfer, Faster Payment System (FPS), or another mutually agreed method.
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