Hong Kong Airlines Takes First Step Back Into Long-Haul Market

In 2022, Hong Kong Airlines started a substantial restructuring plan that saw it diminish the size of its widebody fleet and return all A350s to lessors. According to the CAPA– Centre for Aviation fleet data source, the carrier currently has 22 airplane in service, comprising 13 A320s, one A321 and eight A330-300s. An additional 8 A330s are inactive.

The carrier will certainly introduce nonstop flights in between Hong Kong International Airport and Australia’s Gold Coastline Airport terminal beginning Jan. 17, 2025. The service will operate 4 times a week over a five-week period, coinciding with the Chinese Lunar New Year, and will certainly offer about 6,000 seats utilizing Plane A330 airplane.

“China has actually always been a critical visitor market for the Gold Coast and Queensland more broadly, so reconnecting to Hong Kong notes a favorable progression in our worldwide healing trip,” Queensland Airports CEO Amelia Evans says.

“The route launch will certainly note our first step back right into the long-haul market as we are slowly presenting even more airplane to support the development of our course network,” Hong Kong Airlines Chairman Jeff Sun says. “This consists of actively checking out a go back to the North American market, with courses to Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles and Seattle present.”

The step signals the airline’s go back to long-haul trips after suspending all operations at the beginning of the later and pandemic undergoing a HK$ 49 billion ($ 6.3 billion) debt restructuring, that included downsizing its fleet from 53 aircraft to 20.

Hong Kong Airlines is reviving its long-haul ambitions with the launch of a seasonal solution to Australia beginning in January 2025, as component of broader strategies that will certainly see its network increase to The United States and Canada.

According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, Hong Kong Airlines put on hold long-haul trips in February 2020, terminating courses to Man, Maldives; Los Angeles; and Vancouver. Throughout 2019, the service provider also offered Auckland and San Francisco continuously.