Cathay Pacific Airways’ budget arm, HK Express, will launch flights between Hong Kong and Vietnam’s Phu Quoc by the end of this year, with the company to start another round of recruitment in the country this month to help boost ties with Southeast Asia.
The announcement on Saturday followed city leader John Lee Ka-chiu’s six-day visit to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos last week, with Cathay Pacific CEO Ronald Lam Siu-por among those in Lee’s high-level delegation.
“Cathay is committed to furthering the growth of Hong Kong as an international aviation hub and enhancing connectivity between Hong Kong and [mainland China] to the rest of the world,” Lam said.
“Our visit to the three Asean countries attests to the immense potential we see in these dynamic regional markets.”
He also pledged to continue the airline’s efforts in strengthening its existing routes, as well as deepening its network and collaboration efforts with countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to help seize growth opportunities.
According to Cathay, HK Express plans to launch a new route to Phu Quoc, an increasingly popular destination in Vietnam, in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Hong Kong’s flag carrier and HK Express already fly to three other destinations in Vietnam – Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.
Cathay said it also would conduct another round of recruitment in the country this month, after bringing in more than 170 Vietnamese cabin crew earlier this year.
While in Cambodia, Lam also signed a memorandum of understanding with the country’s airports CEO Cyril Girot during Lee’s Asean trip to reinforce the partnership between the two parties.
As part of the deal, Cathay will boost its trip frequency to Phnom Penh from five per week to daily flights from October 27.
Wrapping up his nearly week-long trip in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, city leader Lee said Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam had agreed with Hong Kong to consider easing visitor entry requirements in both directions, adding the latter could also set up new economic trade offices in the region.
A total of 55 cooperation agreements were signed throughout his visit, Hong Kong’s leader said.
