Qantas has managed to squeeze in three extra services per week to Hong Kong, bringing its total weekly offerings up from 11 flights to double daily.
The additional services will operate from April or the ‘northern summer’ on the both the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A330. Flights will be scaled back to 13 per week for about two and a half months from 1 May before picking back up to double daily from 18 July to 29 October.
Qantas revealed in October last year that it was keen to expand its operations to Hong Kong but was unable to due to a lack of available slots, Australian Aviation reported.
The carrier’s boss, Alan Joyce, explained that the carrier will have “limited growth opportunities” in the destination until the third runway in Hong Kong is complete.
“We’ve got plenty of room to grow in the current bilateral, the trouble is we can’t get the slots to grow.”
Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO
With the new services, Qantas’ QF117 will depart Sydney on Mondays and Wednesdays at 12.15pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11.40am; Fridays and Sundays at 10.15am; and Sundays at 11.15am.
The return flight from Hong Kong will leave on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9.35pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8.50pm; Fridays at 9.25pm; Saturdays at 8.20pm; and Sundays at 9.25pm.