Hong Kong's Greater Bay Airlines to double fleet by mid-2024

The CE of Greater Bay Airlines has said he will double the current four-strong fleet to eight by mid-2024 and aims to have 23 aircraft by 2028. Hui Han-chung also told Hong Kong-based media last week that the first of fifteen B737-9s on order at Boeing will start arriving in August 2024. After launching in the second half of 2022, Greater Bay Airlines presently operates four B737-800s from its Hong Kong base to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Ho Chi Minh City, Osaka Kansai, Seoul Incheon, Taipei Taoyuan, and Tokyo Narita. It was operating over the recent Northern Hemisphere summer season with passenger loads of 70-80% and most of its passengers are Hong Kong residents rather than foreigners, Hui said. However, the CEO added that workforce shortages in Hong Kong are a possible brake on growth. While the airline is currently adequately staffed, each additional aircraft requires another ten pilots and 20 flight attendants, yet many senior pilots left Hong Kong after being laid off during the pandemic, taking up jobs elsewhere, and local airlines face difficulties hiring senior experienced pilots. In addition to the Boeing narrowbodies, Greater Bay Airlines has also signed a tentative commitment to acquire five B787s. However, Hui said this would not happen until the carrier's narrowbody operations had achieved "scale and foundation." Greater Bay's growth will be incremental and only occur when conditions are right, he noted.<br/>