Summary
- Hong Kong Airlines expects a gradual recovery and goals to achieve pre-pandemic figures by the tip of the 12 months, surpassing initial predictions of a full recovery by mid-2024.
- The airline anticipates high passenger load expectations, with a goal of reaching 85% across all flights by the tip of this 12 months and rebounding to an 85% average passenger load factor by 2023.
- Hong Kong Airlines is expanding its operations, adding recent routes to Japan and mainland China, increasing its fleet size by 30% by the tip of 2024, and launching a world talent recruiting program to support present and future expansion.
Attributable to strict rules imposed by various governments in Asia because of this of the pandemic, the region has seen and continues to experience a much slower return to pre-pandemic figures compared to other regions. Despite all this, Hong Kong Airlines has made significant strides in its recovery and is now taking a look at an earlier recovery than expected resulting from exceptionally strong passenger numbers this 12 months.
Regular recovery
As considered one of the foremost carriers of the region, Hong Kong Airlines has seen a period of strong recovery all year long, overcoming the drawn-out challenges that many carriers in Asia were faced with when it got here to elongated pandemic measures set by governments.
Nonetheless, the airline now forecasts to hit pre-pandemic figures by 12 months’s end, ahead of its initially estimated mid-2024 timeline.
Chairman of Hong Kong Airlines, Jevey Zhang, had the next to say in regards to the recovery to date:
Photo: Airbus
Due to the rise in passenger numbers, Hong Kong Airlines’ passenger load expectations are equally high, expected to hit 85% across all flights by the tip of this 12 months.
Jevey Zhang went on so as to add:
These positive figures and outlooks are a welcome change within the Asian aviation sector following three years of consistent decline and regulatory hurdles. Hong Kong Airlines joins the growing list of Asian airlines, akin to Singapore Airlines, AirAsia, and Thai Airways, which have seen demand skyrocket, and have needed to rapidly reply to it. Major markets akin to China have also expanded the list of nationals that will enter visa-free to draw more tourism and business.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Easy Flying
Airline expansion
Hong Kong Airlines has been busy this 12 months with recent route developments, recent additions to its fleet, and a rise in staff hiring. Its most notable upcoming expansion is the addition of three recent destinations in Japan: Kumamoto, Hakodate, and Yonago. These recent routes join routes that were resumed, for the primary time because the pandemic, to mainland China. All in all, bringing the airline to a grand total of 25 destinations across its network.
Photo: Airbus
Along with its route development, Hong Kong Airlines has invested in recent aircraft to extend the variety of seats available inside its network. Three recent Airbus A330-300s were delivered to the carrier in the summertime of 2023, marking the beginning of a plan to expand the 21-strong fleet by 30% by the tip of 2024.
To be able to support its present and future expansion, Hong Kong Airlines has also launched a world talent recruiting program. This includes reaching out to former employees furloughed through the pandemic and recruiting recent talent locally and globally. It expects the variety of employees to return to pre-pandemic levels by the tip of this 12 months.
A cause for celebration
Along with the airline’s milestone in passenger traffic, this 12 months also marks the seventeenth 12 months of Hong Kong Airlines. As such, it has launched an eight-day campaign where 50,000 one-way “Economy Basic Fare” tickets are on sale at a reduction for as little as HK$210 ($27). These tickets are offered to 14 destinations across China, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. The promotion will run from November 27 to December 4.
It appears Hong Kong Airlines, and indeed the whole aviation industry in Asia, is finally returning to pre-pandemic levels after a couple of painful years of stagnation.
What are your thoughts on Asia’s return to pre-pandemic levels of traffic? Tell us within the comments.