Hong Kong Airlines' first Airbus A350 makes its maiden flight at the Airbus assembly line in Toulouse, France.
(Photo: Airbus)
(Photo: Airbus)
The line-up of international airlines flying to the U.S. mainland will grow this winter.
The latest to announce service is Hong Kong Airlines, which will launch non-stop flights between Los Angeles and Hong Kong on Dec. 18 on Airbus A350 aircraft. The airline will begin with four round-trip flights a week before moving to daily service on Jan. 16.
News of the L.A. route comes less than two months after Hong Kong Airlines began flying from Vancouver, it’s first North American destination.
Beyond its new North American routes, Hong Kong Airlines -- founded in 2006 -- flies from its Hong Kong hub to more than 30 destinations across Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
“Following the success of the Vancouver route, we are excited to launch our first route in the continental United States and further expand our international network,” George Liu, Hong Kong Airlines’ chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “By strengthening the connection between North America and our Asia Pacific destinations, we can provide more options for American business, leisure, academic, and family travelers.”
Hong Kong Airlines will face competition from oneworld partners American and Cathay Pacific, which also fly non-stop on the route
While Los Angeles will be the carrier’s first route to the mainland United States, it’s not its first to a U.S. territory. Hong Kong Airlines already flies to Saipan, part of the U.S.-controlled Northern Marianas Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
As for Hong Kong Airlines, the A350s it will use for the Los Angeles route will be brand new to its fleet. The carrier's first A350 made its maiden flight at Airbus' assembly line in Toulouse, France, just last week. It's the first of 15 A350s Hong Kong Airlines has on order and is expected to be delivered to the carrier by the end of the month.
(Ben Mutzabaugh - Today In The Sky / USA Today)
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