Greater Bay Airlines (HB, Hong Kong International) is pondering launching as a cargo-only specialist if COVID-related border restrictions continue through summer 2021, when the start-up intends to commence commercial operations, Chief Executive Algernon Yau Ying-wah told Nikkei Asia.
"If the situation continues to be difficult, we will look at whether we can use our aircraft to fly more cargo operations to carry vaccines. We can use the aircraft for other purposes," Yau said.
The start-up, which real estate tycoon Bill Wong Cho-bau backs, is planning to take delivery of its first three dry-leased B737-800s in mid-February. The aircraft will undergo extensive cabin reconfiguration at Guangzhou airport ahead of their forecasted entry into service in the third quarter of 2021.
Yau said that Greater Bay Airlines was making "good progress" towards obtaining an Air Operator's Certificate.
"If we have all the licenses and approval given by the authority, we plan to start operations by the end of August," Yau said, adding that the start-up hoped to grow its fleet to around 30 aircraft in the next five-six years.
For now, however, demand for passenger services to and from Hong Kong International remains minimal due to newly tightened border restrictions. Non-resident foreigners continue to be banned from entering the territory, while all permitted arriving travellers are required to quarantine for 14 or 21 days, depending on the origin they come from.
In turn, Cargo demand remains strong, although the volume of cargo goods handled at Hong Kong airport dropped by 7% in 2020.
Despite pandemic-related setbacks, Yau remains hopeful about the start-up's long-term prospects.
"There will be a new demand for travelling. The timing now may not be right for the aviation industry but may be exactly right for our inauguration when the business is coming back," he claimed.
As a part of its certification drive, Greater Bay Airlines recently applied for traffic rights on 104 routes, including to mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei, Laos, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Mongolia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.
