Hong Kong Airlines to return to North America next year with Vancouver route

Hong Kong Airlines will return to North America early next year by resuming its Vancouver route, the carrier’s chairman has said, hailing the move as part of its transformation into an international operator.<br/>Yan Bo, the chairman of Hong Kong Airlines, announced on Thursday the service to the Canadian city would return on January 18, with details to be unveiled later. “This strategic move signifies the airline’s transformation from a regional carrier into an international airline, with a focus on expanding its global route network amid the economic recovery,” he said. “Through strategic planning, the airline has demonstrated a strong recovery capability by optimising its route network and adjusting its fleet structure, which now covers more than 30 destinations.” The announcement followed an earlier confirmation from the carrier that it would resume direct flights between Hong Kong and the Gold Coast in Australia, the company’s first step back into the long-haul market amid an expansion of its network. The airline had said flights to the Gold Coast would operate seasonally from January 17 to February 15, with the four-times-a-week service running for five weeks over the Lunar New Year period. It will offer about 6,000 seats on an A330 widebody aircraft.<br/>