Hong Kong Airlines successfully inaugurated its first direct service between Hong Kong and Urumqi on 29 August. Operated by an Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft, the twice-weekly service will further strengthen connectivity between Hong Kong and Northwest China. Inaugural celebrations were held at both Hong Kong International Airport and Urumqi Tianshan International Airport to mark the new route launch.
Mr Jeff Sun, President of Hong Kong Airlines, said: “Hong Kong Airlines is committed to developing more new destinations and offering travellers a wider range of travel options. The launch of this new destination also responds to the nation’s policy of expanding Individual Visit Scheme for mainland residents travelling to Hong Kong and Macao. It will help attract more visitors from Xinjiang and Northwest China to Hong Kong, while also enabling them to connect more conveniently through Hong Kong to popular destinations in Southeast Asia, Australia and North America. Through Urumqi, travellers can also connect readily to key destinations across Central Asia, which in line with the HKSAR Government’s policy of fostering closer cooperation and exchanges between Hong Kong and Central Asia.”
Urumqi is the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, an important hub in Northwest China and the geographical centre of Asia. It has grown into a core city on the Silk Road Economic Belt and an important international commercial hub. Modern skyscrapers stand against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, while nearby grasslands offer wide open landscapes. With four distinct seasons and striking scenery, snow-covered peaks can be seen in both winter and summer.
Visitors to Urumqi can explore a range of distinctive landmarks, including the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, with its strong Western Regions character; the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum, home to an extensive collection of historical artefacts; and natural attractions such as Heavenly Lake (Tianchi) and the Tianshan Grand Canyon.
Leveraging Urumqi’s position as an aviation hub, travellers can, upon arrival, connect seamlessly via the intra-Xinjiang interline network to popular tourist cities such as Kashgar, Yining and Altay. Combined with Hong Kong Airlines’ extensive international network, travellers from Xinjiang and Northwest China arriving in Hong Kong can also connect onwards to destinations including Tokyo, Osaka and Bangkok, as well as Sydney, Melbourne and Vancouver.
The new route will further strengthen the Company’s development in Northwest China, building additional air links between Hong Kong and key hubs along the Belt and Road, and helping to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub.
