ANDREW COWEN and team are clearing the runway to give more people from Hong Kong the opportunity to travel.
Founded in 2004 as a full-service airline, HK Express transitioned to a low-fare airline in October 2013, based on a huge need for low-cost travel in Hong Kong. With a vision of making travel accessible to every guest, HK Express became the city’s first and only low-fare airline, now the industry leader of the low-cost carrier (LCC) market to and from Hong Kong.
“We have delivered tremendous value to Hong Kong and the Asian region, carrying well over 3 million guests with great fares, excellent service and the best-in-class on-time performance of all Hong Kong-based airlines,” says Andrew Cowen. “HK Express is a tremendous success story in Hong Kong’s aviation industry.”
Low Cost
There are currently 17 LCCs flying to Hong Kong. Compared with other Southeast Asian countries, it is still in its initial stage for LCCs, and only accounts for around 7% of market share in total airlines, compared to nearly 30% for Singapore. This signifies tremendous opportunities for growth.
“More Hongkongers, especially the younger generation, travel spontaneously but are budget-conscious. According to a research conducted by PolyU, the new generation prefers to spend less on flight tickets and more on accommodation or other items during the trip. We believe that this is a sweet spot that HK Express can tap into, empowering more people to widen their horizon through travelling. HK Express therefore consistently offers ultra-low fare promotions aimed at encouraging first-time travellers and travel frequency,” says Cowen.
“Our guests value convenience, affordability, punctuality, safety, and variety of destinations. These are the five key pillars where we strive to excel. We believe that as we continue to communicate and exchange ideas with our guests, they will gradually understand our vision and business model in a more in-depth way. We will continue to review our offering and provide guests with even lower ticket prices and more choices.”
HK Express has the vision of empowering young travellers to explore Asia in an affordable way. The company pours itself into understanding what its guests value, and tailors campaigns to fit their needs.
Local Approach
As currently the only Hong Kong based low-fare airline, HK Express stays true to the local culture. “The Hong Kong culture is always at the heart of our values. Whether in planning for expansion strategies or marketing activities, HK Express always strives to maintain authenticity while also being fun and creative, just like every Hongkonger.
“HK Express continuously improves our services to make sure our guests have a pleasant experience, and reflects its personality as a Hong Kong brand with innovative concepts. We are the first airline to accept Octopus payment for in-flight purchase. We understand that Octopus is a big part in Hong Kong people’s lives, and HK Express wants to extend the convenience on board in order to provide a seamless shopping experience to our guests.”
The company also offers a unique and attractive motivational program for its team to work even harder and stretch its creativity in order to deliver guests the best experience both on board and on ground.
Going Beyond
HK Express continues to expand its route map. The airline aims to have 19 aircraft (increasing its current fleet of 13) flying to 40 destinations within Asia by the end of 2016.
To meet the overwhelming demand and expanding network, the company aims to grow its employee base to 600 by the end of 2015. Local job creation is a priority for HK Express. At least 127 new jobs have been created in 2015, a 35% increase from 2014.
“With the coming additional aircraft, we anticipate hiring over 200 staff members next year, with the overwhelming majority being local hires.”
HK Express has attained its success through strategic route expansion, continuous service improvement, an ongoing commitment to on-time performance, and its 7-star safety rating. These are a result of strategic plans based on a vision through and for Hong Kong, well executed by a team of pronounced knowledge, experience and technical skills.
For additional information please visit www.hkexpress.com
