Cathay Pacific subsidiary HK Express expects to increase its fleet to 40 aircraft by the end of the year as it seeks to capitalize on strong demand for air travel in the Greater Bay Area.

The LCC operates 33 Airbus A320-family narrowbodies at present and expects to take delivery of seven more over the coming months. The expansion will help to further drive capacity growth, which is currently about 40% higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Speaking at Routes Asia 2024 in Langkawi, Malaysia, general manager corporate planning Matthew Choi said the additional aircraft will help to offset the temporary grounding of some of the carrier’s fleet due to Pratt & Whitney engine inspections.

“We do have a small fleet of Pratt & Whitney engine powered aircraft and therefore we will have to juggle our available aircraft,” Choi explained. “We’re transitioning to a to a point where we are more constrained by aircraft availability.

“That being said, multiple aircraft are coming in. Right now, we’re sitting at 33 aircraft and by the end of this year it will be 40. Those fresh aircraft will help with our growth.”

Choi said HK Express is “very bullish” on future demand, with strong levels of traffic from the Greater Bay Area. He added that although Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is slot constrained, the airline will continue to expand its network. He is optimistic that with completion of the Three-runway System project would enable the carrier to further explore more new markets.

The third runway was commissioned in November 2022 and involves the reclamation of approximately 650 hectares of land north of the existing airport island. A 3,800-m long runway and supporting taxiway are being built, alongside the expansion of Terminal 2. Completion of the Three-runway System expected by the end of 2024.

“For now, we are focusing more on adding frequencies to existing destinations, and growing to selected strategic destinations, but we’re bullish on the overall growth of the Hong Kong International Airport,” Choi said. “Once all three runways are operational, there will be a gradual increase of availability allowing us to connect more destinations.”

HK Express has announced two new routes so far this year, with flights to Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) scheduled to launch on March 12, followed by service to Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) on April 25. Both routes will be daily.