Hongkongers can fly to Lhasa in 8 hours as Tibet Airlines unveils new service

Hongkongers will be able to fly to the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, in eight hours when an airline launches a new route later this month to offer a faster and more affordable travel option. A check by the Post on Sunday found some major travel agencies were promoting group tours using the first Tibet Airlines flight on the route on February 19. Some trips were already fully booked. The carrier’s flights will depart from Hong Kong every Wednesday and Sunday at 3.45pm, arriving at Lhasa Gonggar Airport at 11.30pm, after a layover at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport in mainland China’s Sichuan province. Services from Lhasa leave every Wednesday and Sunday at 8.10am and arrive in Hong Kong at 2.35pm, also with a layover in Chengdu. A return ticket could be as cheap as 1,310 yuan (US$182), with tax and in-flight meals excluded, according to the carrier’s website. Tibetan authorities said the new route would “substantially” shorten the travel time between the two places. “The route will not only provide a new choice for passengers but also promote a deeper understanding of the Tibet autonomous region among countries worldwide,” authorities said. “It will also facilitate the connection and integration between Tibet and the Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions, promoting economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges.”<br/>