Ethiopian Airlines B787 lands in Super Typhoon conditions

An Ethiopian Airlines 787-8 dreamliner landed at Hong Kong airport on Friday as Super Typhoon Saola battered the city, becoming the only plane to land during the extreme weather conditions.

Weather forecasts for the area indicated significant wind shear and moderate turbulence, coupled with 32 knots of crosswind on the approach phase of the flight. The 787 dreamliner is rated for landing in a maximum of 33 knots of crosswind.

Cathay Pacific Airways, the flag carrier for Hong Kong, suspended all flights between 2 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. Public transportation services were largely suspended in the city as well. According to the local airport authority, a staggering 460 flights were cancelled on Friday.