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Cathay Pacific
Hong KongHong Kong Economy

Flights at Cathay Pacific budget carrier HK Express ‘back to pre-pandemic levels by Friday’, airline seeks 500 staff as it ramps up services

  • Low-cost carrier took delivery of the first of 16 narrow-body Airbus A321neo aircraft on Wednesday
  • HK Express is looking to expand network and aims to hire 180 pilots and more than 300 cabin crew by the end of the year

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HK Express has 16 new Airbus A321neo ordered with delivery over the next two years. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
Laura Westbrook
The number of flights operated by Cathay Pacific Airways’ budget airline, HK Express, will return to pre-pandemic levels by Friday and it plans to hire around 500 staff this year, its boss has said, as it ramps up services to meet demand following the lifting of pandemic restrictions.

The low-cost carrier received the first of 16 narrow-body Airbus aircraft on Wednesday, with HK Express chairman and Cathay CEO Ronald Lam Siu-por calling it a “pivotal moment” for the group following three years of tough Covid-19 rules.

HK Express is looking to expand its network and aims to hire 180 pilots and more than 300 cabin crew by the end of this year.

HK Express marks the arrival of the new Airbus A321neo. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
HK Express marks the arrival of the new Airbus A321neo. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Lam said the carrier’s service frequency would return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the month with more than 400 flights per week and 500 by the summer to around 22 destinations.

“We will exceed 30 destinations by the end of this year. We will keep on expanding and we will put an emphasis on the mainland China market and hope to increase destinations,” Lam said.

The new Airbus A321neo aircraft’s maiden flight will be to Bangkok on April 2, with the remainder of the single-aisle jets delivered over the next two years.

HK Express currently has a fleet of 27 aircraft, flying to 17 destinations, including six in Japan.

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