Tourism
Chiang Rai Airport Welcomes First Flight from HK Express
HK Express Commercial Director Luke Lovegrove (far right) met with guests at the boarding gate to welcome them aboard the first flight to Chiang Rai.
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CHIANG RAI – HK Express continues to expand its Hong Kong network, on 25 November the LCC added Chiang Rai, its third destination in Thailand.
The 1,477-kilometre route will be operated twice-weekly (Mondays and Fridays) using the carrier’s 174-seat A320s and faces no direct competition.
Sarima Chindamat, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Hong Kong, said: “We are very pleased to witness the inaugural scheduled service by HK Express between Hong Kong and Chiang Rai, the northernmost large city and also a secluded city of beauty and serenity.
We have confidence Chiang Rai will become one of the most popular Thai destinations for Hong Kong tourists and this new direct flight service will be significant in securing a strong foothold in between Hong Kong and Thai tourism.†For Chiang Rai this is only the second international route.
The airport, which handled 1.745 million passengers in 2015, also has a non-stop route to Kunming in China operated by China Eastern Airlines. HK Express already serves Chiang Mai and Phuket in Thailand. Back in 2015 it also served Bangkok Don Mueang for three months, from 20 July to 23 October. In the Hong Kong-Thailand market, HK Express currently ranks seventh with just 4.5% of the market, well behind Cathay Pacific Airways (25%), Thai Airways (23%), Hong Kong Airlines (17%) and Thai AirAsia (10%).
