Hong Kong Airlines Ltd. is looking to add second-hand Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliner jets in an effort to revive its long-haul ambitions after its previous ill-fated intercontinental push nearly sunk the company.
The HNA Group-backed carrier wants at least three 787 aircraft to restart flights to North America in 2025, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Sun Jianfeng told Bloomberg News in an interview Thursday. The airline is evaluating Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles and Seattle as the new routes, he said.
The decision to relaunch long-distance flights comes after a contentious HK$49 billion debt restructuring in 2022, including its strategic push into long-haul markets, that nearly bankrupted the company. Its financial distress forced it to jettison most of its then fleet of 53 planes.
The purchase of second-hand jets would make the carrier, which currently operates an all-Airbus SE fleet of 21 jets, a new Boeing widebody operator, delivering a boost to the US planemaker.