Wikipedia

Greater Bay Airlines

Greater Bay Airlines Company Limited (GBA), commonly known as Greater Bay Airlines (Chinese: 大灣區航空有限公司), is a Hong Kong–based carrier established in 2020.[6] The company's inaugural passenger flight (from Hong Kong to Bangkok) was conducted in July 2022.[1]

Greater Bay Airlines
大灣區航空
IATA ICAO Call sign
HB HGB GREATER BAY
Founded24 May 2010; 14 years ago (2010-05-24)
(as Donghai Airlines)
8 July 2020; 4 years ago (2020-07-08)
(as Greater Bay Airlines)
Commenced operations23 July 2022; 2 years ago (2022-07-23)[1]
AOC #19
HubsHong Kong International Airport
Fleet size8
Destinations8
Parent companyEast Pacific (Holdings) Ltd.[2]
Headquarters12/F, One Citygate, 20 Tat Tung Road, Tung Chung, Lantau, Hong Kong[3]
Key people
FoundersBill Wong Cho-bau
Websitewww.greaterbay-airlines.com
Greater Bay Airlines
Traditional Chinese大灣區航空公司
Simplified Chinese大湾区航空公司
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDà Wān Qū Hángkōng Gōngsī
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingdaai6 waan1 keoi1 hong4 hung1 gung1 si1

Its head office is in One Citygate in Tung Chung.[7]

History

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Boeing 737-800 on a training flight

Greater Bay Airlines was founded on May 24, 2010, as a subsidiary of East Pacific (Holdings) Ltd., initially known as Donghai Airlines'. The company went through several name changes, becoming Donghai Airlines (Hong Kong) Limited on January 17, 2019, then Hong Kong Bauhinia Airlines on December 5, 2019, and finally Greater Bay Airlines on July 8, 2020.[8][9][6]

During the certification process, the airline faced delays due to concerns raised by competitors Cathay Pacific, HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines.[10] However, by February 2021, these concerns were addressed, and the airlines submitted position statements instead of objections to Greater Bay Airlines' application.[11]

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Greater Bay Airlines initially focused on cargo services.[12] In September 2021, Greater Bay Airlines received its first aircraft, an ex-Norwegian Air International 2017-build Boeing 737-800 leased from the company ICBC Financial Leasing.[10] It obtained its Air Operator's Certificate in October 2021 and began charter flights in November the same year. Its first charter flight, on 29 November 2021, was a same-day round trip from Hong Kong to Bangkok.[13][14]

In February 2022, the airline was granted the Air Transport License of Hong Kong, allowing it to operate scheduled flights. A second aircraft was leased in March 2022, deviating from the original plan of seven aircraft.[15][16]

Greater Bay Airlines launched its first passenger flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok in July 2022. As of February 2024, the airline operates scheduled services to seven destinations: Manila, Bangkok, Taipei, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore and Osaka.[1]

Senior leadership

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The airline has been chaired by founder Bill Wong since its founding in 2010. The current CEO is Liza Ng, who replaced Stanley Hui on 1 April.[17] Like her predecessors, Ng previously worked at Dragonair and Cathay Pacific.[17]

List of CEOs

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  1. Algernon Yau (2021–2022)[18]
  2. Stanley Hui (2022–2024)[19]
  3. Liza Ng (since April 2024)[17]

Destinations

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These destinations are currently served by Greater Bay Airlines.[20][21]

Country/region City Airport Notes Refs
China Haikou Haikou Meilan International Airport [22]
Zhoushan Zhoushan Putuoshan Airport [23]
Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong International Airport Hub
Japan Osaka Kansai International Airport [24]
Sendai Sendai Airport Begins 7 December 2024 [25]
Tokushima Tokushima Airport [25]
Tokyo Narita International Airport [26]
Yonago Yonago Kitaro Airport [27]
Philippines Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport [28][29]
Singapore Singapore Changi Airport Terminated [30][31][32]
South Korea Seoul Incheon International Airport [33]
Taiwan Taipei Taoyuan International Airport [34]
Thailand Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport [35][36]
Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport Terminated [37][38]

Fleet

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Current fleet

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Greater Bay Airlines fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
C Y Total
Boeing 737-800 8 — — 189 189 3 leased from ICBC Leasing[39]
Boeing 737 MAX 9 — 15 TBA To be delivered between mid-2024 and 2027[40]
Total 8 15

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Chua2022-07-25T08:05:00+01:00, Alfred. "Greater Bay Airlines gets airborne in low-key launch". Flight Global. Retrieved 2022-08-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Kenji Kawase (25 July 2022). "Hong Kong's Greater Bay Airlines takes flight, but without fanfare". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines-Contact Us". Greater Bay Airlines. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  4. ^ Lai, Jodie (27 June 2022). "Greater Bay Airlines announces leadership change" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Our Management". Greater Bay Airlines. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Shenzhen mogul to launch airline". The Standard Hong Kong. 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  7. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines Co Ltd". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2023-08-27. 12/F, One Citygate 20 Tat Tung Road, Tung Chung Lantau Hong Kong (SAR)
  8. ^ "Amid travel standstill, newcomer Greater Bay Airlines seeks Hong Kong approval to take off". South China Morning Post. 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  9. ^ "黃楚標註冊「大灣區航空有限公司」　擬拓國內及東南亞航線". Oriental Daily News (in Chinese). 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  10. ^ a b "Hong Kong's Greater Bay Airlines likely to be delayed". ch-aviation. 2021-09-10. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  11. ^ "Cathay Pacific regains permit to fly many China routes vacated by its closed subsidiary, while Greater Bay's bid meets with no objections". South China Morning Post. 2021-02-06. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  12. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines Expects to Launch in 2022". Airline Geeks. 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  13. ^ "大灣區航空首次包機　商業運貨往返香港曼谷　創業務里程碑". Oriental Daily News (in Chinese). 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  14. ^ "大灣區航空｜未獲空運牌照先起飛　首班貨運機今日來回曼谷". HK01 (in Chinese). 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  15. ^ Lai, Jodie (24 May 2022). "Greater Bay Airlines receives designation from the Transport and Housing Bureau of Hong Kong" (PDF). greaterbay-airlines.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Airline startup Greater Bay's launch slowed by COVID situation in Hong Kong". Reuters.
  17. ^ a b c "Greater Bay Airlines appoints Liza Ng as CEO". Aviator. 2024-03-26.
  18. ^ "Fifteen new bureau heads named". Radio Television Hong Kong. 2022-06-19. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
  19. ^ Alfred Chua (2022-06-28). "Greater Bay Airlines names veteran Stanley Hui as new CEO". Flight Global. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
  20. ^ Lee, Danny (22 January 2021). "Hong Kong upstart Greater Bay Airlines formally applies for rights to operate more than 100 routes". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  21. ^ "Publication by the Air Transport Licensing Authority, of Particulars of Application to Operate Scheduled Air Services" (PDF). The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Gazette. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  22. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines Begins Scheduled Flights to Haikou From Hong Kong". travelandtourworld.com. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines Adds Zhoushan Service From Nov 2024". aeroroutes.com. 1 October 2024.
  24. ^ Westbrook, Laura (3 March 2023). "Hong Kong's Greater Bay Airlines orders 15 Boeing aircraft, eyes 5 more, to hugely expand fleet of 3 leased planes ahead of launch of new and long-haul routes, business-class seats". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  25. ^ a b "Greater Bay Airlines 4Q24 Japan network expansion". aeroroutes.com. 20 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines Launches Narita - Hong Kong Service on 12 January 2023!" (PDF). Narita International Airport. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  27. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines adds Hong Kong - Yonago Service in NW24!". aeroroutes.com. 20 August 2024.
  28. ^ "Route Map". Greater Bay Airlines.
  29. ^ Liu, Jim. "Greater Bay Airlines Adds Manila From Nov 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  30. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines launches scheduled service to Singapore in April". Greater Bay Airlines (Press release). 8 February 2024.
  31. ^ Sim, Sherlyn (2024-05-09). "Greater Bay Airlines to stop Hong Kong-Singapore flights just one month after launch". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Archived from the original on 2024-05-09. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  32. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines discontinues Singapore service in late-May 2024". aeroroutes.com. 9 May 2024.
  33. ^ Liu, Jim (10 December 2022). "Greater Bay Airlines Confirms Seoul mid-Jan 2023 Launch". Aero Routes. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  34. ^ "Greater Bay Airlines launches new service to Taipei in December". Greater Bay Airlines (Press release). 11 November 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  35. ^ Westbrook, Laura (15 June 2022). "Greater Bay Airlines to launch commercial flight to Bangkok". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 13 July 2022 – via South China Morning Post.
  36. ^ Jess Ma (22 July 2022). "Greater Bay Airlines' first flight set to take off for Bangkok from Hong Kong on Saturday". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  37. ^ Liu, Jim (22 June 2022). "Greater Bay Airlines Adds Ho Chi Minh City service from July 2023 Launch". Aero Routes.
  38. ^ Liu, Jim (2 February 2024). "Greater Bay Airlines discontinues Vietnam service from late-Feb 2024". AeroRoutes.
  39. ^ Freed, Jamie (18 March 2022). "Airline startup Greater Bay's launch slowed by COVID situation in Hong Kong". Reuters. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  40. ^ Pang, Jessie; Zhou, Joyce (3 March 2023). "Hong Kong's Greater Bay Airlines announces order for 15 Boeing 737-9 airplanes". Reuters. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
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