Hong Kong Airlines recently celebrated its 10th Anniversary in November with a grand celebration attended by 200 guests. The airline has its roots in Hong Kong and a focus on the Asia Pacific region. It strives to chart its future course and maintain its robust growth.
Today the airline serves 36 major cities in the Asia Pacific with a fleet of 34 airbus aircraft averaging around four years each. In September this year, it signed a contract with Airbus for a firm order of nine additional Airbus A330-300 aircraft. The aircraft will be operated across a network which links Hong Kong with a range of destinations in Asia and beyond. By the end of 2018, its fleet size will reach over 50 with the delivery of its first A350-900 aircraft.
It has also signed 69 interline agreements and 11 codeshare agreements with airlines around the world. Passenger traffic is expected to reach a record high of 6.6 million. That is approximately 10% of market share in Hong Kong. In 2016, the airline announced 11 new destinations including Gold Coast, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. This year, it also introduced daily services to Okayama, Japan from 29 March; Tokyo, Japan from 1 July; to Osaka, Japan from 15 July; to Osaka Kansei, Japan from 15 July and to Yonago, Japan from September. In February, thrice-weekly direct service between Hong Kong and Phnom Penh, Cambodia were introduced. In May, it launched twice weekly direct flights between Hong Kong and Kuching, Malaysia. In June, it launched twice-weekly direct flights between Hong Kong and Saipan International Airport operating its Airbus A333 aircraft. The airline has also been awarded a four-star rating by Skytrax since 2011 and ranked third place in the ‘Best Regional Airline; Asia” category by Skytrax this year.
The Seoul route will be launched on 16 December and operated with an Airbus A330 aircraft. HX622 will depart Hong kong every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 5.55pm and arrive in Seoul at 10.25pm. HX623, the return flight will depart Seoul at 11.25pm and arrive in Hong Kong at 2.25am. HX628 will depart Hong Kong every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 10am and arrive in Seoul at 2.35pm. The return flight HX629 will depart Seoul at 3.35pm and arrive in Hong Kong at 5.55pm.
In 2017, the airline will further extend its destination network to cover key cities in North America including a daily flight service to Vancouver from 30 June 2017. It expects to receive its first A350 aircraft in August next year which is slightly over a year later from its competitor airline Cathay Pacific which started flying the A350 in June this year.
The airline’s new 1,350 sqm “Club Bauhinia” VIP lounge in the Midfield Concourse (MFC) at Hong Kong International Airport will open in the first quarter next year.
The Midfield Concourse at Hong Kong International Airport began full operations on 31 March this year. Hong Kong Airlines is the first and one of the main carriers using MFC. The 105,000 sqm concourse at MFC provides 20 parking positions.
The Hong Kong Airlines Aviation Training Centre is slated for completion by the end of 2018.
Hong Kong Airlines has launched a series of activities to celebrate its 10th anniversary. This includes the 10th Anniversary Thankful Sale and Marvellous Journey Symphony that will feature HK$500,000 worth of free tickets to give away. From 29 November, all passengers will receive a 10th anniversary edition boarding pass, while all child passengers (aged 2-11) will receive an extra box of a special edition flying chess. Hong Kong Airlines’ latest brand promotional commercial “Flying Beyond”, which was filmed at its various destinations such as Australia, Japan, China and Taiwan has been showing.
Hong Kong Airlines Flies to Auckland
Hong Kong Airlines launched flights from HKIA to Auckland, New Zealand on 10 November 2016. This increases the number of flights each day to around 4 direct flights. Cathay Pacific operates one A350 flight in the afternoon and another B777 flight in the night at 9.30pm offering an early morning 7.35am and 1.20pm arrival respectively. Air New Zealand operates a daily B777 flight at 5.55pm and arrives in Auckland at 9.55am.
Hong Kong Airlines operate the Airbus A332 aircraft on the route offering 283 seats with 24 in Business class.
HX21 departs Hong Kong daily at 3.20pm and arrives in Auckland 7.30am the next day. HX22, the return flight, departs Auckland at 9.30am and arrives in Hong Kong at 3.55pm. A special frequency flight operates from 11 December 2016 to 13 February 2017 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. HX27 departs Hong Kong at 1.55am and arrives in Auckland at 6.55pm. HX28, the return flight, departs Auckland at 1am and arrives into Hong Kong at 8.05am.
Hong Kong Airlines Expands Etihad Airways Codeshare Partnership
Hong Kong Airlines has expanded its codeshare partnership with Etihad Airways. Another nine additional routes have been added, increasing the number of services in their codeshare agreements to 14.
Hong Kong Airlines has placed its ‘HX’ code on Etihad Airways’ flights between Abu Dhabi and a number of European and North American cities including Paris, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Manchester, Milan, Munich, New York and Zurich. Etihad Airways has placed its ‘EY’ code on Hong Kong Airlines’ scheduled flights between Hong Kong and Auckland.
Both airlines have been in a codeshare agreement since December 2014. Then Etihad Airways was allowed to place its ‘EY’ code on Hong Kong Airlines flights between Hong Kong and Bangkok as well as Okinawa. Hong Kong Airlines placed its ‘HX’ code on Etihad Airways service between Abu Dhabi and Bangkok. In June 2015, the partnership was expanded allowing Hong Kong Airlines to place its ‘HX’ code on Etihad Airways’ Madrid and Hong Kong services. Etihad Airways will increase the Madrid frequency from four flights a week to daily from 1 June 2017, allowing Hong Kong Airlines to codeshare on the additional flight.
Hong Kong Airlines – Royal Brunei Airlines Code Share Agreement
Hong Kong Airlines and Royal Brunei Airlines signed a code share agreement earlier this year in August. Hong Kong Airlines will place its ‘HX’ code on Royal Brunei’s daily flights between Hong Kong and Bandar Seri Begawan. Royal Brunei will place its ‘BI’ code on Hong Kong Airlines’ daily flights between Hong Kong and Tokyo.
HX610/BI3403 departs Hong Kong daily at 3.30pm and arrives in Narita, Tokyo at 8.55pm. The return flight Hx611/BI3404 departs Narita, Tokyo at 9.30am and arrives in Hong Kong at 1.30pm.
HX1635/BI635 departs Bandar Seri Begawan daily at 10.30am and arrives in Hong Kong at 1.35pm. HX1636/BI1636 departs Hong Kong at 2.35pm and arrives in Bandar Seri Begawan at 5.40pm. Royal Brunei operates the A320 between Hong Kong and Bandar Seri Begawan.
