Hong Kong Airlines has announced that it will resume two direct flight services, one to the Gold Coast in Australia and the other to Vancouver in Canada, from Jan 17 and 18, respectively.
This marks the airlines' return to the international long-haul flight sector.
Throughout 2024, the airline handled over 5 million passenger trips, with an average load factor of around 85 percent. Its network has covered more than 30 destinations across the Asia-Pacific region.
"Hong Kong Airlines has fully leveraged the advantages of our motherland to connect with the world. In the new year, we plan to further grow our fleet to enhance transport capacity," said Sun Jianfeng, president of Hong Kong Airlines.
Since the official operation of the three-runway system at Hong Kong International Airport in November last year, the airport has been able to handle 120 million passenger trips and 10 million tons of cargo annually.
Hong Kong Airlines to resume direct flight services to Australia, Canada
Iran's Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati said on Monday that the first round of high-level talks between the U.S. and Iran in Switzerland had significantly advanced efforts to release frozen Iranian assets, while the U.S. side suggested the funds could be channeled toward American farm exports.
Hemmati told the country's semi-official Tasnim News Agency that "significant progress" had been made on the asset releases, with the relevant documents signed during the negotiations.
Referring to the unfreezing of the central bank's overseas assets as one of the most complex items on the agenda, the central bank chief said the funds will be phased into use in the coming days, in accordance with conditions and procedures established by the bank.
Regarding the export of oil and petroleum products, Hemmati said the two parties have agreed that the Office of Foreign Assets Control under the U.S. Treasury Department will be responsible for sanctions waivers for Iranian oil and petrochemical shipments.
After the U.S. and Iran held high-level talks at Switzerland's Burgenstock resort, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Monday that if the U.S. agreed to unfreeze Iranian assets, the funds could be used to purchase American soybeans, corn and wheat.
Iran reports significant progress on asset unfreezing as US eyes agricultural exports
