HONG KONG – Whether we are chomping at the bit to get back on a plane, or cautiously letting other travellers be early adopters, it is a good sign for Asia that airlines are gradually planning to get back into the sky.
China was first out of the blocks to open domestic flights, and according to a survey 53% of first-tier city dwellers are planning international travel.
August, October and December are the most popular months so far and 71% of travellers have their wanderlust eyes set on Thailand.
Cathay Pacific’s latest news includes a cautious increase in flights to start in the last week of June with a focus on major cities in Asia and long-haul destinations, which will lift the airline’s flight services from 3% of previous flight schedules to 5% initially.
Beijing, Taipei, Singapore and Tokyo Narita regionals will increase from three weekly flights to daily services with Osaka and Seoul being added in.
Sydney, London Heathrow, Los Angeles and Vancouver flight frequencies will expand from twice to five times a week with Melbourne, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and San Francisco to return, too.
HK Express is continuing to pause its services until 18 June.
Next door in Macau, the Macao Government Tourism Office has announced a partial ease of restrictions and opening of flights to popular destinations South Korea and Japan, but no definitive date has been set.
Singapore Airlines is running just 4% of scheduled flights until the end of June. Watch this space.
In Thailand, the international flight ban has chopped and changed, from being extended to mid-May to refusing most flights for another month until 31 May. This is partly due to concern over the current wave of infections, due to returning Thai nationals.
Select domestic flights on board LCCs Nok Air, Thai AirAsia and Lion Air will likely start from 1 May.
Bangkok Airways will resume domestic flight operations from 15 May starting with a twice-daily service Bangkok – Samui to serve mainly travellers who remain stranded on Samui and neighbouring islands.
AirAsia will be resuming selected domestic flights 1 May, authority approval depending, in Thailand and the Philippines, with India and Indonesia due to follow.