Flight capacity on Hong Kong-US route to grow 22 percent in 2014

This year the capacity on Hong Kong-U.S. routes will significantly increase by 22 percent. Media reports quoting travel experts said that the growth in flight capacity between the two destinations is being seen as a welcome development. However, there’s a flip side to this as well. The reports said that the visa processes continue to be tedious thus proving to be a stumbling block to the ever increasing outbound travel demand.

Hong Kong’s flagship carrier Cathay Pacific Airways early this year introduced new daily flights to New York effective from March 1. The airline will be adding flights services to Los Angeles and Chicago as well. The airline will be launching its fourth direct flight to Los Angeles on a daily basis starting from June 1. The airline will also begin three additional weekly flights to Chicago effective from August 2.

Other U.S. carriers such as American Airlines and Delta Air Lines will also be launching new flights to Hong Kong in June this year. Delta Air Lines will be launching daily flights between Hong Kong and Seattle starting from June 16. The airline will deploy an Airbus A330-200 aircraft configured with 234 seats. Media reports said that American Airlines will introduce daily flights services between Hong Kong International Airport and Dallas effective from June 13. The airline will operate flights on this route with the help of a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

The United States is also keen to attract travelers from Hong Kong. Last year, a marketing representative office has been opened to roll out initiatives related to visa. The travel consultants are also being offered opportunities to attend seminars.

Hong Kong-based travel experts said that much needed to be worked on visa front. They said that the United States has not made much headway in improving its visa processes, and on the contrary increased its visa fees. They said that U.S. needs to simplify its online visa applications process on similar lines as that of Australia. This will help in driving outbound traffic from Hong Kong.