A Taiwanese airline is aiming to operate five daily round-trip flights on its Hong Kong-Taipei route that will debut later this month with an initial two.
Tony Cho, the general manager of Starlux Airlines’ Hong Kong branch, said on Thursday the carrier would also recruit more staff from the city, though he did not specify a timeline for additional hires or the increase to five daily flights.
“After the pandemic, the tourism industry is recovering rapidly, Cathay Pacific and other airlines in Hong Kong are hiring more employees and increasing flights,” he said.
“The industry will catch up and even go beyond the level from before the pandemic, therefore we are very confident to enter the Hong Kong market right now.
The airline will offer two daily round-trip flights between the city and Taipei Taoyuan International Airport beginning on July 16.
The flights will take off from Hong Kong at 10.55am and 7.45pm respectively, with a travel time of one hour and 40 minutes.
The return flights from Taipei will take off at 8am and 4.50pm.
An economy-class one-way ticket to Taipei will cost between HK$1,100 and HK$1,300, while a round-trip ticket will cost around HK$2,100.
Other airlines, including Hong Kong Express, Greater Bay Airlines, China Airlines and EVA Air, offer a round-trip ticket for the same route between HK$1,000 and HK$2,200, depending on the time of the flights.
Founded in 2018, Starlux is now the third-largest airline in Taiwan. It started operating its first service between Taipei and Macau in 2020.
More than 40 flights depart Hong Kong for Taipei every day.
Most of them are operated by the self-ruled island’s two largest airlines, Eva Air and flag carrier China Airlines, together with Cathay Pacific Airways and Hong Kong Airlines. Each airline offers about 10 daily flights.
Cho noted that it would be easier for the company to secure time slots for its flights when Hong Kong’s three-runway system was ready. Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan said in February it would be fully operational by the end of this year.
Hong Kong Tourism Association executive director Timothy Chui Ting-pong said the new airline would offer more options for travellers and tourism agencies.
“It would be more attractive to individual travellers, especially those flying for business, and high-end tour groups,” he said, noting that the airline was known for its good service and stylish cabins.
“The route between Hong Kong and Taipei is one of the busiest in the world, and the addition of Starlux flights will help further cement this status too.”
Chui said he hoped the two cities would negotiate to add flights between Hong Kong and Taipei’s Songshan airport, which is located in the city centre and offers flights to Shanghai, Tokyo, and many Taiwanese cities.
“Travelling from Taoyuan airport to the city centre takes around an hour,” Chui noted, adding it would be more convenient if Hong Kong travellers could fly directly to Songshan.