Hong Kong Airlines Plans 2025 North American Expansion with Used Boeing 787s

Hong Kong Airlines is poised for a major return to the North American aviation market, targeting a 2025 relaunch with routes to several key cities. The airline’s CEO, Sun Jianfeng, announced plans to acquire at least three used Boeing 787 aircraft to facilitate this expansion. These flights are set to connect Hong Kong with Seattle-Tacoma, Los Angeles International, Vancouver International, and Toronto Pearson airports.

This strategic move comes after the airline ceased its North American operations in 2020, which included flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco using Airbus A350-900s. The decision to pull out from these routes was driven by significant financial hurdles exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, Hong Kong Airlines underwent a substantial restructuring in 2022 under court supervision, which included renegotiating a daunting $6.3 billion in debt, scaling back its network, and returning numerous aircraft.

Since 2022, Hong Kong Airlines has been focused on stabilizing its operations and expanding its network. Currently, the airline operates flights to 32 airports across 11 countries with a fleet consisting of twelve A320-200s, one A321-200, five A330-200s, and ten A330-300s. However, it is worth noting that the carrier’s fleet includes several inactive aircraft; specifically, all A330-200s and two A330-300s are currently out of service. Before the pandemic, Hong Kong Airlines had a fleet of approximately 50 aircraft.

As Hong Kong’s economy and air travel sector recover, Hong Kong Airlines is positioning itself for growth. In September 2023, the airline returned its final A350-900 to lessor ALAFCO and, in May 2024, welcomed an A321-200 on lease from AerCap. Sun Jianfeng has stated that the carrier plans to take delivery of eight new aircraft in 2024, with a similar acquisition rate projected for the following years. The restructuring process is complete, and the airline is now focused on profitability.

In addition to its existing network, which includes destinations in mainland China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, the Maldives, South Korea, Taiwan, Laos, and the Northern Marianas, Hong Kong Airlines is set to expand further. The airline recently announced plans to operate a short season of flights to Gold Coast Coolangatta, Australia, in early 2025 using A330 aircraft. This marks the airline’s first step back into long-haul markets, with Sun highlighting the airline’s strategy to gradually reintroduce more aircraft to support network expansion. “Our return to North America is actively being explored as part of our broader growth strategy,” Sun commented.

This strategic move to reinstate flights to North America reflects Hong Kong Airlines’ commitment to expanding its global reach and recovering its long-haul market presence.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, bloomberg.com, simpleflying.com