Hong Kong Airlines to Expand Fleet

Hong Kong Airlines, a division of China’s giant HNA Group, is to acquire more than 50 new aircraft over the next four years, as part of a major expansion of its operations on international and Chinese domestic routes.

 Together with its sister carrier, Hong Kong Express (UO), Hong Kong Airlines (HX) currently operates a fleet of 18 aircraft – eight wide-bodied Airbus A330-200s and 10 narrow bodied Boeing 737s – to 23 destinations in China, north and southeast Asia and Moscow.

The group is now positioning itself to take advantage of the soaring demand for air travel in both the Asia Pacific region, the fastest-growing market for the airline industry, and China, one of the single strongest air travel regions in the world. Among the destinations it is considering for future expansion is Australia.

From 2012 until 2015, the Hong Kong Airlines group will acquire 30 wide-bodied Airbus and Boeing jets for long haul operations and 21 narrow-bodied Airbus A320s for short haul routes.

The majority of the new wide-bodies will be more of the popular A330-200, with 20 due for delivery in the next four years, as well as six Boeing 787 Dreamliners and up to four Airbus A380 super jumbos.

Next year, 14 new aircraft will enter the fleet - six A330s and eight A320s. Included among these aircraft will be three unique A330s, each configured to seat just 116 passengers in an all-Club Class layout. From March, 2012, these special aircraft will be used to launch nonstop daily service between Hong Kong and London, offering ‘Club Premier’ and ‘Club Classic’, both of which have been created to deliver the airline’s exceptional signature service.

In 2013, Hong Kong Airlines will receive up to 18 more aircraft - eight A330s, eight A320s and two A380 super jumbos, while in 2014, another 11 jets are scheduled to join the fleet - six more A330s, three A320s and the first two Boeing 787s.

Then in 2015, eight more aircraft will be added to the fleet - four Boeing 787s, two A380s and two A320s.

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