Hong Kong Airlines orders 50 new aircraft
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Hong Kong Airlines, a division of China’s HNA Group, will acquire more than 50 new aircraft over the next four years, as part of a major expansion of its operations on international and Chinese domestic routes. The purchase order will radically increase airline capacity from eight wide-bodied Airbus A330-200s and 10 narrow bodied Boeing 737s. From 2012 until 2015, the Hong Kong Airlines group will acquire 30 wide-bodied Airbus and Boeing jets for long haul operations. These include 20 A330-200 are due for delivery in the next four years, as well as six Boeing 787 Dreamliners and up to four Airbus A380 super jumbos. Meanwhile, a total of 21 new narrow-bodied Airbus A320s will be deployed on short haul routes.Six A330s and eight A320s will be delivered next year, and three of the wide-bodied planes will be configured to seat just 116 passengers in an all-Club Class layout, for operations between Hong Kong and London. In 2013, Hong Kong Airlines will receive up to 18 more aircraft, including two A380 super jumbos, while in 2014, another 11 jets are scheduled to join the fleet. Then in 2015, eight more aircraft will be added to the fleet, including four Dreamliners.Expansion plans are inspired by the soaring demand for air travel in both the Asia Pacific region, China in particular, and additional capacity will be used to launch operations to new destinations, such as Australia.