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Hong Kong aviation
Hong KongTransport

Hong Kong upstart Greater Bay Airlines formally applies for rights to operate more than 100 routes

  • The application to take over the routes is a major step for the fledgling airline, but it could face objections from would-be competitors
  • The routes were relinquished by now-defunct regional carrier Cathay Dragon, which was shut down last year as part of it’s parent company’s restructuring

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The fledgling Greater Bay Airlines has formally applied for the rights to operate more than 100 routes around the region. Photo: Felix Wong
Danny Lee
Greater Bay Airlines (GBA), the Hong Kong start-up vying to snatch a lucrative slice of top local carrier Cathay Pacific’s business, has bid to secure the right to fly to more than 100 destinations across Asia – a major step towards making its first take-off a reality.

The fledgling airline, headed by former top Cathay executive Algernon Yau Ying-wah, applied to the government for the rights to operate scheduled flights, according to a public filing gazetted on Friday.

Company sources were watching the filing closely to see if rival local airlines – namely Cathay Pacific, HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines – lodged objections, the filing being their first opportunity to do so. Any objection would result in a delay and a probable public hearing to weigh the concerns of the opposing parties.

Almost half of the routes in the bid are from Hong Kong International Airport to destinations in mainland China. GBA has also bid for routes to Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
The routes GBA is seeking to operate were vacated by the now-defunct Cathay Dragon. Photo: Sam Tsang
The routes GBA is seeking to operate were vacated by the now-defunct Cathay Dragon. Photo: Sam Tsang

The rights to the routes were put up for grabs after being relinquished by now-defunct regional carrier Cathay Dragon, which was shut down last year as part of a wider restructuring of its parent company, resulting in the loss of 5,900 jobs.

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