HK Express plans to restore number of flights to pre-Covid levels by March, hire 300 cabin crew members amid overseas curbs on Hong Kong arrivals

Budget airline HK Express plans to increase its number of flights to pre-pandemic levels by March and hire 300 cabin crew members, despite recent overseas restrictions imposed on arrivals from Hong Kong.

The carrier on Wednesday said it intended to operate 400 flights a week by March, similar to levels in 2019.

“In December last year, the increase in demand for air travel can be described as explosive,” CEO Mandy Ng Kit-man said. “HK Express will be increasing flights to meet market demand and we hope that everyone will get to experience the joy of travelling again.”

The airline bought 16 new Airbus A321neo planes in preparation for the surge in travel demand. They can carry 230 passengers, and the first ones are expected to arrive by June, according to the carrier.

HK Express said it also planned to hire 300 more cabin crew members by the end of this year, after starting a recruitment drive last October. Parent company Cathay Pacific, the city’s flagship carrier, last November said it had hired 1,800 new staff as part of its aim to increase capacity.

Several countries such as South Korea, the United States, India and Australia have recently imposed travel restrictions on arrivals from Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China. The curbs were announced as the mainland experienced a surge in Covid-19 infections.

Hong Kong and the mainland restored quarantine-free travel on Sunday, and the country has reopened itself to foreign visitors for the first time in three years.

Overseas restrictions on arrivals from Hong Kong could hurt city’s tourism recovery

South Korea earlier imposed restrictions on flights from Hong Kong by only allowing them to land at Incheon International Airport in the capital, affecting trips to Jeju and Busan.

With the earliest HK Express flight heading to Busan on January 22, Ng said that the airline had decided not to cancel it at present.

“We are currently in talks with South Korean authorities. Currently, all arrangements for our flights are unchanged. We will announce any updates as soon as possible,” she said.

Perry Yiu Pak-leung, the lawmaker for the tourism sector said, despite restrictions placed on travellers from Hong Kong by some countries, that he believed they were short-term measures which would be withdrawn as the pandemic situation worldwide eased.

He added the industry has been prepared to bounce back and is on its way to recovery, resuming Hong Kong’s status as an aviation hub.

“We need the aviation sector to resume their pre-pandemic activity, in order for tour agencies and other tourism-related businesses downstream to benefit from their recovery,” Yui said.

Despite the lull caused by the pandemic, HK Express said it had expanded its services to destinations such as Singapore, Taipei and Kaohsiung in the past three years.

But the airline conceded it would take time for the company to bounce back fully from the damage inflicted by the coronavirus.

“Even last year during the pandemic, we had very few flights. So we need a period of time for things to get back on track, from resuming flights to working with our different operators to go back to pre-pandemic levels,” Ng said.

The Hong Kong government on Tuesday said it had asked South Korea to withdraw the restrictions.

HK Express also revealed a series of new “sustainable and inclusive” uniforms designed by city designer Mountain Yam.

Female cabin crew can choose to wear trousers instead of a pleated skirt, which is part of the airline’s distinctive bright purple uniform.

Cabin crew will also be able to opt for trainers instead of dress shoes.