A rather unsettling situation played out this morning at Hong Kong’s airport, which potentially has even more consequences than you’d expect…
British man arrested for HKG check-in kiosk attack
A 35-year-old British national has been arrested at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), following some wild behavior. This incident unfolded at around 6AM local time today (Monday, February 16, 2026). Video footage shows the man pushing over kiosks at the airport’s departures hall, and then smashing them with a metal post.
According to the airport authority, around 10 smart check-in kiosks were damaged, along with some railings, at Aisle J of the airport’s Terminal 1. Per an airport spokesperson:
“Airport Authority staff and airport security personnel rushed to the scene and warned the man to stop causing further damage. Police have arrested the man and launched an investigation.”
The man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, as you’d expect. However, that’s not the extent of his legal issues. He also had four Viagra pills, which were found in his backpack without a prescription. That’s illegal in Hong Kong, so he’s also facing charges for possession of “Part 1” poisons, which comes with a maximum penalty of two years in jail and a fine of $100K HKD (~12,800 USD).
The man was at the airport to buy a ticket and leave
The man had reportedly been in Hong Kong since November 2025, as British citizens can visit Hong Kong visa-free for a period of up to 180 days. It’s not known why he was in Hong Kong in the first place. What we do know is that he was reportedly at the airport to buy a ticket for a flight to finally leave.
Obviously the kind of behavior exhibited in this video isn’t normal, so I hope this guy gets the help he needs, because it’s never okay to act this way. It’s not known what exactly prompted his outrage, and whether something terrible happened at the airport, or he just started doing this randomly.
Either way, that’s definitely not someone you want to be around, because that violence could also quickly be directed at other passengers, rather than just at machines.
Bottom line
Hong Kong Airport’s check-in area suffered some damage this morning, as a man started knocking over and smashing the check-in kiosks. He had shown up at the airport to buy a ticket to leave Hong Kong, but for whatever reason, things escalated for the worse.
Now the man is not only facing charges for suspicion of criminal damage, but also for possession of Viagra pills, which is illegal in Hong Kong without a prescription. Oy.
