Hong Kong Airlines is reviving its long-haul ambitions with the launch of a seasonal service to Australia starting in January 2025, as part of broader plans that will see its network expand to North America.
The carrier will introduce nonstop flights between Hong Kong International Airport and Australia's Gold Coast Airport starting Jan. 17, 2025. The service will operate four times a week over a five-week period, coinciding with the Chinese Lunar New Year, and will offer approximately 6,000 seats using Airbus A330 aircraft.
The move signals the airline's return to long-haul flights after suspending all operations at the start of the pandemic and later undergoing a HK$49 billion ($6.3 billion) debt restructuring, which included downsizing its fleet from 53 aircraft to 20.
“The route launch will mark our first step back into the long-haul market as we are gradually introducing more aircraft to support the expansion of our route network,” Hong Kong Airlines Chairman Jeff Sun says. “This includes actively exploring a return to the North American market, with routes to Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles and Seattle under consideration.”
Hong Kong Airlines has served Gold Coast in the past, offering year-round flights until October 2018. However, the cities have remained unserved nonstop ever since.
“China has always been a critical visitor market for the Gold Coast and Queensland more broadly, so reconnecting to Hong Kong marks a positive step forward in our international recovery journey,” Queensland Airports CEO Amelia Evans says.
According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, Hong Kong Airlines suspended long-haul flights in February 2020, canceling routes to Male, Maldives; Los Angeles; and Vancouver. During 2019, the carrier also served Auckland and San Francisco nonstop.
In 2022, Hong Kong Airlines embarked on an extensive restructuring plan that saw it shrink the size of its widebody fleet and return all A350s to lessors. According to the CAPA – Centre for Aviation fleet database, the carrier currently has 22 aircraft in service, comprising 13 A320s, one A321 and eight A330-300s. A further eight A330s are inactive.
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