Direct flights between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan could save business travellers up to 10 hours and open the city’s shorelines to tourists from landlocked Central Asia, lawmakers have said after the flag carrier announced plans to launch an Almaty route next year.
Lawmaker Jonathan Stuart Lamport, who represents the business sector, on Thursday said the announcement had received widespread support from the industry, as direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty would significantly strengthen ties between the two cities.
Lamport cited the case of a merchant he knew who flew to Almaty and returned the same day but spent considerable time in transit.
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“Business travellers operate on tight schedules and direct flights are expected to save merchants up to 10 hours in in-flight and transit time,” he told a radio programme.
He added that travelling to other Central Asian countries via Kazakhstan would also become highly convenient.
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On Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that Hong Kong would relaunch direct flights to Almaty in the first quarter of next year, adding that the government would push for visa-free access to Kazakhstan for up to 30 days.