According to Nikkei and a variety of other Japanese media, ANA has decided to cut its Japan – Hong Kong capacity considerably between December 1, 2019, and March 28, 2020.
This news comes on the same day as a South China Morning Post’s article reporting that United is seeing some recovery on its routes to Hong Kong.
Capacity Cuts on Tokyo Narita, Osaka, and Nagoya Flights
While Tokyo Haneda – Hong Kong flights will stay intact, ANA’s three other routes to Hong Kong – from Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai, and Nagoya Centrair – will see capacity cuts in one way or another outside of the busy holiday season.
On the Tokyo Narita – Hong Kong route, ANA will reduce the number of daily flights from two to just one. The morning rotation, NH809/810, will not operate cut between December 1, 2019, and December 27, 2019, and between January 5, 2020, and March 28, 2020.
The flight to be cut is currently operated by 787-9 aircraft with 215 seats. The flight that will remain in operation throughout the rest of the winter schedule is operated by 767-300ER aircraft with 202 seats.
Both of the flights are operated by ANA’s subsidiary Air Japan.
The airline’s daily flights between Nagoya and Hong Kong will be cut completely between December 1, 2019, and December 18, 2019, and between February 4, 2020, and March 28, 2020.
Currently, the flights are operated by A320neo aircraft with 146 seats.
Finally, flights between Osaka Kansai and Hong Kong will continue to operate daily. However, the equipment will be downgraded from the 202-seat 767-300ER to the 146-seat A320neo.
ANA’s two daily Tokyo Haneda – Hong Kong rotations are operated by a 246-seat version of the 787-9 and the 202-seat 767-300ER.
Adding all of the above up, ANA’s capacity between Japan and Hong Kong will go down from the current 1,213 seats a day to 796 seats a day during the period when all three reductions will be in place. This represents a 34% decrease.
Its capacity between Tokyo and Hong Kong will be cut by 24% from today’s 865 seats a day to 650 seats a day.
Whether the service cuts will be extended into 2020 summer schedule or not remains to be seen and will depend on the situation in Hong Kong at that time.
Seven airlines operate flights between Japan and Hong Kong in addition to ANA: Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon, HK Express, Hong Kong Airlines, JAL, Jetstar, and Peach. While Cathay Dragon has cancelled some of its frequencies, at this point, the other airlines have not cut capacity due to the protests in a significant way.
Summary
The ongoing protests that started as a response to the now-withdrawn “Extradition Bill” have had considerable effects not only on the country overall, but also on its travel industry.
Protests were held at Hong Kong airport a number of times, airlines have noticed a drop in demand for their Hong Kong flights, and many hotels in the territory have been struggling with low occupancy.
As such, it is unsurprising that ANA has decided to cut its capacity significantly in the slower winter season.
Hopefully, though, the situation in Hong Kong will improve, and it will return back to its current capacity once 2020 summer schedule comes into effect on March 29, 2020.
