Virgin Australia to withdraw Hong Kong services

Virgin Australia, Boeing 737, Flying over Auckland City, New Zealand, 9 October 2019

Virgin Australia has announced it will withdraw its services between Australia and Hong Kong following a comprehensive review of the route.

John MacLeod, chief commercial officer at Virgin Australia said Hong Kong has continued to be a challenging market for the airline.

“With a decline in demand following ongoing civil unrest, and growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak in the wider region, we have made the decision to withdraw services,” he said.

“While the decision to withdraw from the Hong Kong market has been a difficult one, it demonstrates our strong focus on driving greater financial discipline through our network.

“Current circumstances demonstrate that Hong Kong is no longer a commercially viable route for Virgin Australia to continue operating. However, international tourism remains an important part of our strategy through our other international routes and partner airlines.”

The airline previously announced the suspension of its Melbourne-to-Hong Kong services in November 2019, which is effective from 11 February 2020. The Sydney-to-Hong Kong service will cease operating from 2 March 2020.

Guests booked to travel on services between Sydney and Hong Kong from 2 March 2020 onwards will be contacted by Virgin via email or by their travel provider to sort out alternative arrangements.

Image: iStock/Rusell Hendry

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