Summary
- According to Bloomberg, Hong Kong Airlines plans to resume North American long-haul flights with used Boeing 787s.
- CEO Jeff Sun Jianfeng announced that the airline intends to purchase three used Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
- From 2025, the airline plans to explore routes to Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.
Hong Kong Airlines is reportedly looking to revive its North American long-haul network. To implement this plan, the Hong Kong-based airline is targeting used Boeing 787 Dreamliner wide-body aircraft.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Hong Kong Airlines CEO Jeff Sun Jianfeng said the HNA Group-owned airline is looking for at least three used Boeing 787 Dreamliners. These wide-body aircraft are expected to be used on North American routes starting in 2025.
Photo: Hong Kong Airlines
Hong Kong Airlines named a total of four North American routes, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver, which are still under review. In a statement on August 22, 2024, announcing the resumption of the Hong Kong-Gold Coast route, the airline’s CEO said:
“This includes actively exploring a return to the North American market. Routes to Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles and Seattle are being considered to offer passengers more international and diverse travel options.”
It is worth noting that the Hong Kong-based airline did not disclose where it would purchase the used Boeing 787 aircraft. Simple Flying has contacted Hong Kong Airlines for comment.
Revival of long-haul operations
News of the airline’s possible plans to use used 787s comes on the same day that Hong Kong Airlines announced it would resume nonstop service between Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) and the Gold Coast (OOL) in Australia.
Photo: heychli | Shutterstock
This service will commence on 17 January 2025 and will run for five weeks until 15 February 2025. During this seasonal four-weekly service, Hong Kong Airlines will operate its wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft, which will offer approximately 6,000 seats. Commenting on the resumption of the route, the airline’s CEO said:
“We expect the Gold Coast to become a popular destination for our travellers, not only from Hong Kong but also from our extensive network in Greater China. They can enjoy the beautiful weather, stunning coastline and exciting activities Queensland has to offer, further strengthening the cultural, tourism and business links between these regions.”
|
route |
Flight number |
departure |
Arrival |
frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HKG-OOL |
HX015 |
22:00 |
08:55+1 |
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday |
|
OOL-HKG |
HX016 |
10:25 |
17:20 |
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday |
The decision to resume long-haul operations follows a major debt restructuring in 2022 that included a strategic shift towards long-haul markets and nearly drove the company into bankruptcy. Due to financial difficulties, the airline was forced to downsize by half of its fleet.
According to ch-aviation, Hong Kong Airlines currently operates a fleet of 28 aircraft with an average age of 12.5 years. The fleet consists of 15 Airbus A330s, 12 Airbus A320-200s and a single Airbus A321-200. The airline’s A330s can accommodate a total of 292 passengers in a two-class cabin: 32 in Business Class and 260 in Economy Class.
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