VA to start Sydney to Hong Kong on July 2

[Greg Hyde]

VA to start Sydney to Hong Kong on July 2

Virgin Australia will launch its daily Sydney-Hong Kong nonstop service at the start of July.

The airline first announced plans to operate the route in February, without specifying a start date.

However, Virgin Australia said on Tuesday it will join Cathay Pacific and Qantas on the busy Sydney-Hong Kong route from July 2 2018.

It will operate Sydney-Hong Kong with its fleet of Airbus A330-200s featuring 20 business class seats with direct aisle access for every passenger and 255 seats in economy at eight abreast.

Once Virgin Australia commences Sydney-Hong Kong flights, its Melbourne-Hong Kong offering will drop back to five flights a week, from daily currently.

Flight timings for Melbourne-Hong Kong will also change from a daytime flight from Melbourne and red-eye return from Hong Kong to an overnight service in both directions.

It was understood the schedule changes were due to the availability of takeoff and landing slots at Hong Kong’s busy Chek Lap Kok Airport.

Virgin Australia’s two services between Australia and Hong Kong are supported by its alliance with HNA Group carriers including Hong Kong Airlines, which has its HX airline code on the Australian carrier’s services to Hong Kong.

There is also a codeshare arrangement with Virgin Atlantic, which in January received approval to add its VS airline code on Virgin Australia’s Hong Kong and Los Angeles services.

Full story

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...ong-on-july-2/