Air Transport

Hong Kong Express has set launch dates for services to four new destinations in Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand.

The Hong Kong-based carrier, which is part-owned by China's Hainan Airlines, announced recently that it planned to start services to Osaka in Japan, Bali in Indonesia, Manila in the Philippines and Phuket in Thailand, although launch dates were not revealed.

It says now that Osaka services have already begun, while Phuket services will start on 10 September. Phuket flights will initially be operated twice-weekly while from 13 October two additional weekly services will be operated.

Services to Bali, meanwhile, are due to launch on 11 September, also initially with two weekly flights and with two more to be added from mid-October.

Daily flights to Manila are due to launch on 25 September.

Hong Kong Express, which along with sister carrier Hong Kong Airlines operates Boeing 737-800s, has been expanding rapidly over the past year and now serves 18 cities within Asia.