Airline Cancels 128 Flights in February and March, Cites Delays in Aircraft Delivery and Need for Inspections
Hong Kong, January 23, 2025 – Greater Bay Airlines, a rising carrier in the region, announced it will cancel 128 flights in February and March 2025 due to delays in new aircraft delivery and the need for regular inspection of some existing aircraft. The airline is also suspending its Hong Kong-Seoul service, citing “unsatisfactory business performance” on the route.
The decision has raised concerns with the Hong Kong government and attracted attention from the city’s Consumer Council, which has urged Greater Bay Airlines to expedite refunds for affected customers. However, travel industry players in Hong Kong report minimal impact, as the airline primarily serves individual travelers rather than tour groups.
Greater Bay Airlines will pull out services in February and March due to operational issues
Travel Trade Largely Unaffected
Bao Shinn International Express, a major Hong Kong travel agency, said Greater Bay Airlines “seldom works with travel agents” and primarily sells directly to consumers. “We are not affected,” said managing director Johnny So.
Regarding the suspended Hong Kong-Seoul route, So noted that the airline had taken similar actions on other routes like Singapore, Haikou, China, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. “These routes only generated outbound traffic (from Hong Kong) without bringing inbound tourist traffic from those (markets),” he said, indicating the decision had minimal impact.
Fanny Yeung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, shared that the trade feedback suggested about 20 impacted tour groups with some 300 travelers. However, she noted that the cancellation would not affect services during the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays, as the airline caters more to individual travelers (FITs) than tour groups.
Airline Admits ‘Negligence’ in Flight Scheduling
In a press statement issued on January 22, Greater Bay Airlines acknowledged “an internal review in this matter has been carried out immediately and negligence was found in our flight scheduling process.” The airline apologized for the inconvenience caused and said it is working to expedite refunds for affected customers.
The operational issues come as Greater Bay Airlines, founded in 2023, has been expanding its network and services, making this setback a significant challenge as it seeks to establish itself in the highly competitive Hong Kong aviation market.
About Greater Bay Airlines
Greater Bay Airlines is a newly established airline based in Hong Kong. Launched in 2023, the carrier operates a fleet of narrow-body aircraft and serves destinations across Asia, with a focus on the Greater Bay Area region. For more information, please visit www.greaterбайairlines.com.
Media Contacts:
Greater Bay Airlines Communications
Tel: +852 1234 5678
Email: media@greaterбайairlines.com
