We’ve covered the seating already but let us cover the delivery, with HK Express (the Low-Cost subsidiary of Cathay Pacific Group) taking delivery of its first Airbus A321neo.
Mr Richard Wu Chi Kwong, JP, Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Fred Lam Tin-fuk, GBS, JP, CEO of Airport Authority, Ms Mable Chan, JP, Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ronald Lam, HK Express Chair, Mandy Ng, HK Express CEO and Jeanette Mao, HK Express Incoming CEO at HK Express A321neo Debut Ceremony
The delivery is the first of 16 due to the airline, which will be delivered over the next two years. This is in anticipation of what the airline sees as soaring demand for leisure travel in Asia.
At the A321neo debut ceremony, HK Express unveiled the new aircraft livery. The aircraft’s body is painted in the iconic shades of purple and white, embellished with the new Cyan, while the new “e” shaped journey symbol is painted on winglets, vertical stabiliser and the bottom of the fuselage.
The deliveries are scheduled to be timed with the anticipated full operation of the Three Runway System at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) by the end of end 2024.
HK Express has configured its A321neo to accommodate 236 passengers, six more than the carrier’s current A321ceo aircraft. They feature the Recaro SL3710 seats (as we revealed), with an 18″ seat width. The cabin features a wider aisle and plenty of overhead storage space with an Airspace by Airbus configuration.
Recaro SL3710 seating inside HK Express’s new A321neo – Image, HK Express
The aircraft is powered by CFM Leap-1A engines, producing a maximum take-off thrust of 32,000-pound force. It also offers a 15% fuel burn reduction compared to previous-generation engines.
CFM Leap-1A Engine – Image, HK Express
In Quotes
HK Express CEO Mandy Ng said:
“We’re thrilled to welcome the state-of-the-art A321neo aircraft to our fleet at this critical time as demand for international travel remains robust,” said
“The upgrade marks another milestone in our history as we continue to expand our footprint in Asia, while remaining committed to modernising our operations for a better and more sustainable future. The delivery also demonstrates our confidence in the Asian market, with Hong Kong making a full comeback on the global stage.”
The hope of increased demand.
During the past two years, Hong Kong was caught with tight restrictions- and most airlines walking away from the territory. As things have eased, airlines are starting to return.
HK Express sees there is a demand for leisure travel recovering strongly in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the rest of Asia, with traffic growth from 10% of pre-pandemic levels in September 2022 to over 80% this February.
As the airline hopes to return to pre-pandemic frequencies (yielding over 400 flights a week), it also wishes to grow – with it planning to fly over 500 a week for its summer operation.
As usual, the trick will be to attract passengers to fill those flights. Whilst some passengers will be excited by a modern aircraft, they will be more interested in cost and being on time – as well as having a reasonably comfortable seat to sit on.
The A321neo will offer that comfort option – even in its near-capacity option that has been delivered (considering the A321neo is rated for 244 seats – HK Express has selected 8 seats less than that in its all-economy configuration).
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