A war of discount airfares has erupted with Cathay Pacific Airways’ budget carrier, HK Express, and Greater Bay Airlines competing for bargain-hunting passengers by offering Hong Kong-Tokyo return tickets for HK$10 (US$1.28) and HK$20 respectively.
Both carriers launched cut-price fares to Japan’s capital on Wednesday, the second straight day of head-to-head sales as the pair look to lure travellers seeking cheap summer holidays.
Visitors to the websites of HK Express and Greater Bay Airlines were met with queues in the first hour of the latest sales, with deals from the former available at 11.30am and the latter at noon.
HK Express’ return tickets to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport start at HK$10 and one-way fares at HK$5, with one small personal item and a 20kg (44lbs) piece of checked baggage included.
The fares are being sold on a first-come, first-served basis but exclude taxes and surcharges.
Passengers are required to travel between August 26 and December 12 of this year.
A search on the carrier’s website showed most of the available fares were red-eye flights with return services to Hong Kong at 1am or 6.35am.
Greater Bay Airlines’ return trips to Tokyo’s Narita Airport are on sale for HK$20, with travellers required to fly between August 18 and December 18. The 200 available tickets include a 7kg carry-on item and a 20kg piece of check-in luggage.
The tickets in question sold out in a couple of hours, a spokesman for Greater Bay Airlines said.
Passengers can only buy one reduced-price ticket, which excludes taxes and surcharges.
On Tuesday, HK Express sold out of more than 1,000 HK$10 round-trip tickets to Seoul, which included a hand-carry item and a 20kg piece of check-in baggage. Travellers must fly between August 20 and November 30.
On the same day, Greater Bay Airlines also exhausted its allocation of HK$20 round-trip tickets to Bangkok within a couple of hours.
The 200 tickets were offered as part of the carrier’s second-anniversary celebrations.
Passengers taking advantage of the Bangkok deal can bring a 20kg piece of checked luggage and a 7kg carry-on bag. Travellers are required to fly on dates between August 18 and December 18.
Greater Bay Airlines will launch more sales on July 25, 29, 30 and 31, pending further announcements on social media.
