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On June 30, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) celebrated the arrival of Hong Kong Airlines (HX) and its new, non-stop daily service between Vancouver and Hong Kong. This new service, which marks the airline’s North American debut, will provide passengers with more choice and will encourage growth in one of YVR’s key markets.
“We are thrilled to welcome Hong Kong Airlines, an award-winning company with a great growth story,” said Craig Richmond, president and CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority. “Hong Kong Airlines’ new year-round service will further link Vancouver and Canada with one of the world’s most dynamic cities. This service presents more options for passengers and businesses, while spurring economic growth and trade.”
To celebrate the new service, inaugural celebrations at YVR included speeches from airline and government officials–as well as a guest appearance from well-known celebrity and Hong Kong Airlines brand ambassador Jackie Chan.
“The launch of this new route from Vancouver represents an exciting new chapter for Hong Kong Airlines as we expand our services into Canada with the intention of cultivating a global audience,” said George Liu, chief marketing officer, Hong Kong Airlines. “To commemorate our official entry into the North American market, we are thrilled to have renowned Hong Kong-born martial artist, Academy Award-winning Hollywood actor and world traveler Jackie Chan on board the inaugural flight as our Hong Kong Airlines brand ambassador. He offers an opportunity to further establish an East-meets-West, cross-cultural connection for our new customers, and complements our truly Hong Kong brand that bridge our new routes into Western gateways.”
The new service will help YVR achieve its vision of connecting Asia to the Americas through an Interline Agreement between Hong Kong Airlines and WestJet. Under this Agreement, passengers can connect through both airlines en route to their destinations.
In addition, this new service will have a direct economic benefit on the region. It will generate $25.2 million in GDP for British Columbia and will create 445 jobs–at the airport and in key sectors including tourism. Hong Kong Airlines will initially operate the route using an Airbus 330-200 with 264 seats, 18 of which are business class.
