Hong Kong Airlines plans to place an order for Airbus A380 aircraft at next week's Paris Air Show, and could acquire up to six of the superjumbos.
An airline spokeswoman, who confirmed the plan, declined to disclose further details until the signing ceremony at the show. However, a senior airline official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the carrier could order "five or six" A380s.
"The best airlines in the world operate A380s, so if we want to be one of the best, we need to add the A380 to our fleet," he said.
Hong Kong Airlines, whose parent is China's HNA Group, is still finalising the details of the aircraft order, he added.
The airline plans to use the superjumbos to launch flights to new destinations like London and New York, said the official.
HNA Group plans to further develop Hong Kong Airlines into a bigger player in its market, and in March signed a memorandum of understanding for 38 Boeing aircraft for the carrier. These comprise 30 Boeing 787-9s, six 777 freighters and two 787-8s in VIP configuration.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
