Melbourne Airport has signed a deal to welcome Hong Kong Airlines for the first time, just as Victorians are flying overseas in record numbers despite cost-of-living concerns.
The agreement with the state will lead to three Hong Kong Airlines A330s arriving at Melbourne Airport weekly, departing for Hong Kong on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
It means the route, which has been predominantly serviced by Qantas and Cathay Pacific since 2020, will gain an additional 93,000 seats a year.
“This is a real shot in the arm for the Victorian economy and it’s a major vote of confidence for this city and this state,” Victorian Finance Minister Danny Pearson said.
“What that means for consumers is there’s going to be more choice. There’s going to be more options.”
Melbourne Airport served a record 11.9 million international passengers in the last financial year, an increase of 8.3 per cent.
Of these, 88,000 passengers originated from Hong Kong, contributing $214 million to the economy.
That number is now projected to rise to 148,300 by 2029, a 67 per cent increase.
“For anyone arriving into Melbourne they do know that we’re bursting at the seams,” Melbourne Airport chief executive Lorie Argus said.
When the new flights start appearing on that board in December, they’ll connect Melburnians to an additional 30 destinations, including Tokyo and Vancouver.
That same month, Delta Air Lines will start direct flights from Melbourne to the US too.
“December is proving to be a very busy time, which it always is around the Christmas period,” Argus said.
