Hong Kong Express Airways has received regulatory approval to
operate flights between Hong Kong and Shanghai, as well as Hong
Kong and Beijing.
It is the third Hong Kong carrier designated to fly passengers
to the two cities after Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair
Airlines.
The carrier will add six Boeing 737-800 planes to its
four-strong fleet by the end of this year to facilitate its
expansion.
"It has always been our goal to provide services on these key
routes so naturally we are overjoyed at seeing our goal realized.
This is fantastic news," said the carrier's President Ronnie
Choi.
The Chinese mainland and Hong Kong signed an agreement last
month to further liberalize the aviation market by increasing the
number of airlines allowed to operate on key mainland routes.
Passenger throughput at Hong Kong International Airport exceeded
four million in November, a 10-percent improvement year on year.
The increase was driven by arrivals from the mainland, North
America and Europe, according to the Hong Kong Airport
Authority.
The combined passenger traffic of Cathay Pacific and Dragonair
grew 1.2 percent last year to 5.8 billion revenue passenger
kilometers on the mainland.
(Shanghai Daily January 23, 2008)
