In what should also be no surprise, Hong Kong Airlines are preparing to suspend it’s Hong Kong to London Gatwick route.
The route was a bit of an oddity – the proposition was a twin-business class flight – one section with a lie-flat seat, one section with a recliner type seat, operated by an Airbus A330-200.
The begun on the 7th March 2012, and will be up for the chop on 3rd September 2012, with bookings after this date being showed as “Sold out” in GDS’s.
For some time, there have been rumours that Hong Kong Airlines were trying to shut the route down, by killing off bargain fares and trying to boost revenue.
And this proves the problem with business-only routes – unless the demand is there along with full fare customers and corporate contracts, backed up with a strong network, the proposition falls down flat on it’s face.
Oh well. Another business class only route down the pan….
neither Oasis (very budget) nor HKA (very premium) could crack this nut … maybe the good ole’ 3-class model works best
I’m not sure even a 3 class/4 class service would work. It’s a bunfight between Cathay, BA, and Air New Zealand on direct routes as it is. Add the Middle Eastern airlines in, and it becomes a race to the bottom.
I had doubts a new entrant would crack it in the first place, and I still have doubts another new entrant with a four class service can make it work at all..