Hong Kong Airlines is forecasting it will return to pre-pandemic levels of operations by mid-2024, as the airline rapidly ramps up flight frequencies and recalls staff on furlough.

The carrier will fly 30 routes daily by the end of January—about 30% of 2019 levels. Destinations to be served from Hong Kong (HKG) by the end of January include Tokyo Narita (NRT) and other Japanese cities to which the airline resumed flights in November 2022; Seoul Incheon (ICN); Bangkok (BKK); Manila (MNL); Hanoi (HAN); and Taipei (TPE).

Chinese destinations to be served by the airline from HKG by the end of the month include Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (PVG), Hangzhou (HGH), Nanjing (NKG), Chengdu (CTU) and Haikou (HAK). The airline said it should reach 75% of pre-pandemic traffic levels by the end of 2023.

The Hong Kong-based airline has a target to hire 1,000 staff by the end of the year, covering 120 pilots, 500 cabin crew and 380 ground staff across its network. That will bring its employment to around 70% compared to before the pandemic.

CAPA/OAG data shows Hong Kong Airlines currently has a 4.5% share of all traffic out of HKG compared to 0.4% a year ago. Following the reopening of China and Hong Kong from Jan. 8, carriers started injecting capacity to capture the surge of Chinese travelers during the Spring festival season.