Helicopter operator Heli Hong Kong is seeking to become the region's fourth passenger airline, with its eye on regional jet services to secondary cities in mainland China. It has tentatively named its planned fixed-wing operation Hong Kong Express and the business plan calls for it to use 50- or 70-seat regional jets.
Chief executive Andrew Tse says Hong Kong Express hopes to launch services within six to eight months with a fleet of "several aircraft". He says talks are being held with Bombardier and Embraer to lease regional jets and the specific launch timing will depend in part on aircraft availability.
It will also depend on Hong Kong and China agreeing an air services pact enabling new carriers to start operating between the two sides. Dragonair currently holds all but a handful of the rights available to Hong Kong carriers under the existing accord and serves about 20 destinations in China. Since late last year, Cathay Pacific Airways has also been operating scheduled services to China, with just three weekly passenger flights to Beijing using A330s.
Talks between Hong Kong and Chinese authorities have been taking place, but neither side has commented on progress. "We are only interested in China," says Tse.
"The Hong Kong government has been promoting Hong Kong as a regional aviation hub and a gateway to China. Hong Kong cannot be a gateway to China when the domestic connectivity is so lousy."
Heli Hong Kong currently operates scheduled and charter flights. Last year another helicopter operator, CR Airways, became Hong Kong's third fixed-wing passenger airline after Cathay and Dragonair and its first regional jet operator using a single Bombardier CRJ200.
NICHOLAS IONIDES / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
