HONG KONG - Commencing on 28 March 2016, Hong Kong Airlines, an internationally-acclaimed full-service airline, will be the first and only carrier providing direct daily flight service between Hong Kong and Okayama, Japan. The new service will be operated by an all-economy class Airbus A320 aircraft, further strengthen the airline’s network in Japan.   Okayama is situated in the southeastern Chugoku region and faces the Seto Inland Sea. The mild climate and scant rainfall make Okayama ideal for growing grapes, peaches, and other fruits. Okayama is endowed with abundant natural beauty, including the islands in the Seto Inland Sea, the Seto-ohashi Bridge that spans Honshu and Shikoku islands, Mt. Washu-zan, which overlooks the scenery of the islands and the bridge, and the Hiruzen-kogen Highlands in Daisen-Oki National Park. Other must-see historic sites and historical structures include the Okayama Castle, noted for its unique black exterior, and the Kibitsu-jinja Shrine, which has a national treasure sanctuary and worship hall as well as the important cultural property Kita-zuishin-mon Gate. Situated in the Okayama City, the Koraku-en Garden is one of the three major gardens in Japan, offers a beautiful view of the Okayama Castle. The Koraku-en Garden, which took 14 years to complete in the 17th century, was the first lawn garden in Japan. The garden is about 130,000 square meters and consists of ponds, wooden bridges, woodlands, teahouses and a Noh stage (for performing traditional Japanese Noh drama). Visitors can also enjoy a panoramic view of the garden from the top of Yuishin-zan Hill. Mr. Li Dianchun, Chief Commercial Officer of Hong Kong Airlines said, “We are very delighted to launch new service to Okayama of the Chugoku region following the inaugural of Miyazaki and Kumamoto in Kyushu last year. With the upcoming sakura blossom season in Japan, we believe Okayama will become another popular travel destination this year, and further strengthen our network in Japan. This will also offer passengers more diverse options for business and leisure travel.” The flight schedule for Okayama route is as follows (*All Times Local):
Flight no.* Route Departure/Arrival time* Frequency
HX6682 Hong Kong to Okayama 10:50/15:30 Every Monday and Friday
13:00/17:40 Every Tuesday
11:00/15:35 Every Wednesday and Saturday
10:05/14:50 Every Thursday
11:00/15:40 Every Sunday
HX6683 Okayama to Hong Kong 16:30/19:05 Every Monday and Friday
18:40/21:10 Every Tuesday
16:25/18:40 Every Wednesday and Saturday
15:50/18:30 Every Thursday
16:40/19:20 Every Sunday
* Flight number and schedule may change without prior notice.
With the launch of Okayama service, it will be the sixth destination adding to our Japan network. Complemented by the existing two daily flights to Okinawa, five-time weekly service to Sapporo, thrice-weekly service to Kagoshima, twice-weekly flights to Miyazaki and Kumamoto, Hong Kong Airlines will operate a total of 33 weekly flights between Hong Kong and Japan starting from March, further strengthening its route network.