Hong Kong Airlines is Hong Kong’s second major airline, and Cathay Pacific’s major local competitor in many ways. The airline belongs to the Chinese megagiant HNA Aviation (which also owns Hainan airlines and 15 other airlines, all based in China), and went through an incredibly rough patch from 2018-2023, where both the airline’s route map, fleet, and onboard service and catering were significantly scaled back. I flew them in 2018, and again in 2023 – the second time felt a bit sad and rough around the edges, where the catering felt very scaled back, and the TV screen wasn’t working. I specifically remember catering being a weak point on Hong Kong Airlines both times, and my meal actually tasted better the second time round, despite being far less elaborate.
As flagged by Hong Kong-based companies Flyday.hk and Flyagain.la, Hong Kong Airlines is re-introducing catering in all cabin classes, amenities, upgrading their lounge catering (and some amenities), and changing seat selection and baggage policies for the better. This is all awesome stuff for passengers, though I am wondering whether the airline is making a good move in its return to profitability. There’s no indication for when these changes will be introduced yet, apart from the fact that they’ll be in the near future.
Hong Kong Airlines’ Business Class Catering Gets A Major Glow-Up
Hong Kong Airlines is partnering with Ming Court (a restaurant in Cordis Hotel, Hong Kong) to introduce upgraded catering and plating. Signature dishes include baked chicken in black truffle sauce, braised pork spare rib in trio onion sauce, braised wagyu beef cheek with radish and dried tangerine peel, beef goulash, and more. There seems to be a variance to how these meals are plated – they’re either plated extremely open-style, or in a casserole dish (which will probably depend on the length of the flight).
Hong Kong Airlines’ new longhaul business class catering, partnered with Ming Court by Cordis
There’ll also be a refreshed pre-arrival meal, with dishes including char siu soy sauce fried noodles and Belgian waffles.
Hong Kong Airlines Business Class Pre-Arrival Meals
I’m perhaps most impressed by the fact that longhaul flights will feature mid-flight snacks as well, including a beef and cheese burger in a croissant bun, and a delicious-looking fried chicken rice burger. On top of that, it looks like champagne and signature drinks (including Hong Kong-style lemon tea) are back on the menu as well.
Hong Kong Airlines Business Class Mid-Flight Snacks
I’m also impressed by the mid-haul meals, where both the quality and options seem much higher than what I’ve seen on the airline in the past.
Hong Kong Airlines Business Class Mid-Haul Meals
Meanwhile, regional business class will feature upgraded dining. These also look tasty and have regional flair, though aren’t extremely out of line with what you’d otherwise expect on a decent airline.
Hong Kong Airlines Regional Business Class Meals
The longhaul business class meals look especially good, though I’m generally excited for Hong Kong Airlines to bring good catering back onboard their flights in business class. It’s worth noting that Hong Kong Airlines’ current business class meals aren’t terrible, just quite sloppily presented and quite odd (the below cheung fun dish is nothing close to what you’d expect on the ground).
Hong Kong Airlines’ current meal service (2023)
Hong Kong Airlines Re-Introduces “Cha Chaan Teng” Style Catering In Economy Class
In 2018 Hong Kong Airlines briefly had a media event where they featured cha chaan teng style catering in economy class. This was extremely short-lived, as Hong Kong Airlines soon had to pull catering from economy class almost completely, as they cut their losses amidst their home city’s 2019 protests.
Hong Kong Airlines has already re-introduced meals to longhaul economy class, though they’ve had a bit of a revamp. These are classic “cha-chaan-teng” style dishes, which are very representative of the airline’s brand, and look delicious.
Hong Kong Airlines Long-Haul Economy Class Meals
They’re also overhauling their regional economy class meals. The biggest news here is perhaps the fact that meals are coming back to regional economy class for the airline, and they look quite good as well.
Hong Kong Airlines Regional Economy Class Meals
Most routes will feature these new meals, with snack boxes distributed on ultra-short haul flights (including to south China and Taiwan, I’d guess).
This is definitely leaps and bounds of where the airline was during its troubled years. My guess is that some of the HNA Aviation group airlines have returned to profitability, and have been able to bring Hong Kong Airlines along the journey in part as well.
It’s worth noting that some of these meals have already been offered by Hong Kong Airlines in the recent past – one of the eggplant dishes above looks strikingly similar to what my friend/YouTuber Jayden Wong had on a Hong Kong Airlines economy flight a couple of months ago.
Better Catering Returns To The Club Autus Lounge
To match its onboard product, Hong Kong Airlines’ Club Autus lounge at Hong Kong Airport’s Midfield Terminal will also see upgraded local meals grace their grounds, including high tea sets, soups, egg waffles, and cocktails.
Upgraded dining in Hong Kong Airlines’ business class lounge
The Club Autus lounge will also see the return of massage chairs and a business center.
Hong Kong Airlines’ hub lounge is actually quite a nice facility, so I’m excited to see some of the lounge’s soft product be upgraded as well. It’s been quite sad to hear such middling reports of the food and beverage offered at the lounge in recent years, so I’m excited for this to get an overhaul soon.
Hong Kong Airlines’ Club Autus lounge is quite nice, so it’s good to see food and beverages to match
Hong Kong Airlines Brings Back Amenities In Long-Haul Business Class
Hong Kong Airlines is bringing back duvets, slippers, and amenity kits in business class. The airline still won’t have industry-leading bedding, especially since Cathay Pacific now partners with Bamford to offer pillows, duvets and mattress pads, though it looks quite comfortable.
Hong Kong Airlines’ Amenity Kits and Amenities
Hong Kong Airlines is also upgrading their baggage policies and seat selection
Hong Kong Airlines is also making a couple of changes to their ground service:
- Economy class passengers will get 1 free 23kg checked bag and a 7kg carry-on (this probably reads the market quite well, as many intra-Asia travellers are yet to reach a stage where they can proficiently pack for a holiday without bringing a checked bag); business class passengers will continue to receive two 32kg checked bags and two 15kg carry-ons. This will be true as of all tickets booked from May 7th, 2025
- Seat selection will be complimentary beginning May 2nd, 2025, with more options at check-in
It will be free to select a seat on Hong Kong Airlines
This Is Great, But What Can The Airline Do Differently This Time?
Hong Kong Airlines last had a major soft product push in 2018, and introduced new catering and upgraded amenities alongside the launch of its new A350 (Thai Airways now owns all of them – RIP). Admittedly the airline was really unlucky with timings of Hong Kong’s political situation followed by COVID-19, though there was no way the airline could’ve made a profit at the time, with a reckless expansion of routes and fleet (with inconsistent onboard layouts), as well as poor financial management.
I’m pleased to see that the airline has shrunk in size and operated sensibly with a hybrid model in recent years, and while the above changes are a major win for passengers, this pivot to being a full-service airline (along with the airline’s recent route network expansion) seems like the airline is stepping back into their 2018 days. While I’ve seen prices increase gradually especially in business class tickets to high-yield destinations, the airline still can’t command a price premium over Cathay Pacific, especially over the off-peak travel season. I’m sure that someone has crunched the numbers and made sure the airline won’t fall into past mistakes, though am a bit more skeptical about their plan this time after what happened in 2018.
The airline has brought back some of their leased fleet to operate some shorthaul routes (such as their ex-Singapore Airlines A330s), though largely operates an all-A330 and A320 fleet. Some of their newest A330s feature reverse herringbone seats, though a bulk of them feature staggered seats, which are fine though nowhere near industry leading – none of their aircraft feature WiFi either, and the entertainment system is middling. In addition, the airline doesn’t have nearly as much brand recognition as Cathay Pacific, and their route network is still quite scattered and leisure destination-focused, meaning that there’s not much connecting traffic. They also don’t belong to a major alliance, or have any valuable partnerships at the moment outside of the HNA Aviation network.
Hong Kong Airlines A330 Business Class
To be fair, Hong Kong Airlines does now have competition from the low-cost carrier end as well, with Greater Bay Airlines entering the market. Perhaps it’s part of the airline’s strategy to position themselves closer to Cathay Pacific, instead of joining the market with their divorced ex-subsidiary HK Express and Greater Bay Airlines.
Conclusion
Hong Kong Airlines is upgrading their soft product in a major way across all cabins, with catering leading many of the changes, as well as upgraded amenities onboard and at their flagship lounge in Hong Kong. While I’m skeptical to see whether this further investment will slash the airline’s profitability, for passengers the airline now represents an extremely attractive option, assuming they fly to where you need to be in their route network. I’m excited to fly them again, perhaps sometime in the near future.
Have you flown Hong Kong Airlines in the recent past? How has your flight been?
(thanks again to Flyday.hk and Flyagain.la)