Hong Kong Airlines is making a return to Vancouver after several years of absence. The airlines will capitalize off the high fares that competing airlines are charging for the nonstop route.
The announcement came in the middle of the airline’s 18th anniversary festivities. The first flights to and from Canada will take place in January of next year.
Hong Kong Finds America’s Hat–Canada
Hong Kong Airlines uploaded a press release announcing the return of service to and from Vancouver, Canada. Flights connecting Hong Kong to Vancouver will resume on 18 January, 2025. These flights will take place twice weekly each direction.
The route was originally in service from June 2017 and did great business for the airline, being the first route to fly to North America. The route was then scrapped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The other two airlines offering nonstop flights to Hong Kong and Vancouver are Air Canada and Cathay Pacific. For this January on average, Air Canada charges $2,012 (HK$15,661) while Cathay has a price of $1,706 (HK$13,281).
Hong Kong Airlines will charge fares at just $1,220 (HK$9,491) in January, being the most affordable airline for the route.
Hong Kong Airlines Chairman Yan Bo also had comments to share in the press release:
“We are thrilled to welcome Vancouver back as Hong Kong Airlines’ first North American destination. We aim to attract more travelers to experience Vancouver’s beauty, facilitating family reunions and business collaborations.”
International Route is the Start of Something More
With the return to Vancouver next year, the airline will serve travelers in over 30 destinations. Hong Kong Airlines will also start service in Gold Coast, Australia for the first time ever. The season route starts 17 January, 2025 and ends 15 February.
In December 2022, the airline managed to restructure HK$49 billion in debts. A repayment plan had been approved by a federal court as well as the airline’s creditors, giving the company wiggle-room to pay back money owed.
According to a Hong Kong spokesperson, the airline is managing as many flights as before the pandemic. Each flight is on average 85% of full capacity. The airline aims to serve over five million passengers in 2024.
