Why is it so hard to find cheap air tickets in Hong Kong?
Don't be deceived by the headlines - Hong Kong lags far behind the rest of Asia in offering discount travel. You can blame the city's airport
“For sure, one of the best things about living in Singapore is how easy it is to get a cheap flight,” says Alessandra Chu, a Hongkonger who moved to Singapore three years ago for work as a graphic designer.
In February, Chu found a deal to go to Australia’s Gold Coast flying Scoot airline for HK$3,300. She says her new home’s strength as a budget travel hub lets her take holidays she could not afford had she stayed in Hong Kong.
“They say Hong Kong is Asia’s world city but in terms of inexpensive flights, then Singapore or even Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok trumps it by a long shot,” she says.
If you followed the recent headlines, you might believe that Hong Kong is a kind of budget-travel mecca. Last week, Hong Kong Express Airways announced plans to turn into a low-cost carrier, promising a 30 per cent discount on the cheapest fares in the market. This follows Jetstar’s decision to start operating out of the city later this year.
The Jetstar service will open up more discount Hong Kong flights to mainland China, Japan and Southeast Asia. Hong Kong Express will offer cheap flights to mainland China and Malaysia.
Elsewhere, AirAsia, the dominant budget airline serving Hong Kong, earlier in the month listed its long-haul subsidiary AirAsia X, raising funds for expansion.
But don’t be fooled. Budget airlines have a tough time in Hong Kong, which is why many local travellers find this service patchy. The discount airlines only serve a handful of destinations out of Hong Kong.