HONG KONG - A crowd of hundreds staged a sit-in protest at Hong Kong International Airport on Sunday (April 17) over luggage privileges that were allegedly extended by airline staff to the daughter of unpopular Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying.

About a week ago, the Chief Executive's younger daughter allegedly forgot her hand-carry item at the airline check-in desk, and once realising her mistake at the boarding gate, she allegedly asked her father to demand that airline staff to retrieve it for her.

The sit-in, organised by the Hong Kong Cabin Crew Federation, started at 3pm on Sunday and was to last till 6pm.

Protesters say the incident potentially compromises airline safety and the security of the public.

The flight crew had called on flight attendants, pilots, and even stopover passengers to join the rally against the government's handling of the controversy.

Mr Leung had denied pulling rank on airport staff to bypass security rules to deliver the luggage to his daughter.

But the federation said on Wednesday it was "extremely disappointed and angry" that Civil Aviation director-general Norman Lo had so far refused to fully explain the matter, reported the South China Morning Post.