The Airport Authority Hong Kong has arranged meetings with approximately 20 airlines during the two-day Routes World 2025 to explore the opening of new routes, with the outcomes described as "very positive," noted Chapman Fong Shui-man, AAHK hub development director.
He pointed out that the signing of two memorandums of understanding with aviation partners from Indonesia and the city of Wuhan laid the foundation for cooperation.
The global aviation convention Routes World 2025 brings together airports and airlines from around the globe to discuss new routes, making it an important event for the industry, he noted.
Traffic at Hong Kong International Airport has recovered well post-pandemic, with about 1,100 flights operating daily, Fong said.
In addition, the number of airlines serving Hong Kong has reached 140, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, and the number of destinations has increased to 205.
Fong expects the passenger volume to recover to 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year, and a full recovery of both long and short routes over the next year.
Additionally, he pointed out that short-haul routes are close to returning to pre-pandemic levels, with Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Japan showing good signs of recovery. However, long-haul routes have seen a slower recovery, currently at about 80 percent of previous capacity.
He revealed that local airlines have almost fully restored their operations, but foreign airlines are facing challenges due to airspace restrictions over Russia and supply chain issues.
He said that the primary goal is to increase long-haul capacity and that the AAHK has launched the "Air Network Development Program" in June last year to encourage airlines to open more routes.
As of last month, 29 airlines had added 75 new destinations. By mid-next year, Pan American World Airways will launch a route between Hong Kong and Los Angeles, and three major Middle Eastern airlines will also operate direct flights to Hong Kong.
Regarding the impact of increasing air passenger departure tax, Fong pointed out that the tax does not account for a large proportion of the overall ticket price.
He noted that transit passengers can enjoy cross-border tax refunds and believes it will be more conducive to attracting tourists from the Greater Bay Area.
