MANILA, Philippines – Budget airline HK Express will soon be flying between Hong Kong and Clark International Airport (CRK).

HK Express, the low-cost carrier fully owned by Cathay Pacific, will operate four weekly flights on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday starting June 6.

Here is the flight schedule:

This route marks the expansion of the Hong Kong-based airline in the Philippines. Besides the new flights to Clark, HK Express also operates flights between Hong Kong and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

HK Express will become the 14th airline operating in the CRK, which now connects to 7 domestic destinations with 73 times weekly frequency and 10 international destinations with 84 times weekly frequency. Earlier in April, domestic boutique airline Sunlight Air and low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia also announced new flights to and from CRK.

“We’re thrilled to welcome HK Express and expand our range of travel options, providing passengers with convenient access to one of Asia’s vibrant hubs,” said Noel Manankil, president and chief executive officer of Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corporation (LIPAD).

In 2023, the volume of passengers at CRK reached about 1.9 million, a 158% increase from its 2022 numbers, but still about 50% below its pre-pandemic levels. Nevertheless, the LIPAD chief believes that the addition of new routes in CRK will help establish the airport as a “key aviation hub in the region.”

“We are very confident…that Clark has its own catchment population,” he said. “And I think we’ve proven that as long as the flights are available, then passengers will come,” Manankil previously told reporters. – Rappler.com

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