Why are CX HKG-LHR flights so full for the next month?
May 4, 2017 | 12:16 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Oneworld, *A; Hilton, SPG
Posts: 488
That's still a lot of seats to fill though. Even if we assume some of the Tiger Mums are bringing along their personal assistants, helpers and the lot... I still can't imagine them filling that many seats.
We're talking about ~40 seats/flight, ~4 flights/day; ~160/day for quite a few days
We're talking about ~40 seats/flight, ~4 flights/day; ~160/day for quite a few days
May 4, 2017 | 7:14 am
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 2,181
That's still a lot of seats to fill though. Even if we assume some of the Tiger Mums are bringing along their personal assistants, helpers and the lot... I still can't imagine them filling that many seats.
We're talking about ~40 seats/flight, ~4 flights/day; ~160/day for quite a few days
We're talking about ~40 seats/flight, ~4 flights/day; ~160/day for quite a few days
May 4, 2017 | 8:00 am
#18
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA
Posts: 28
I bought two round trips (mid-May and mid-June, each for 7 days) from LHR to HKG all in booking subclass Q just before the Easter holidays. For the dates those I have booked, the lowest bookable subclass is now L and one flight from HKG that I have booked on even have all Y seats sold out. Cannot believe there has been such a big change in the inventory for just a few weeks.
May 4, 2017 | 9:59 am
#19
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX DM
Posts: 1,144
Maybe not just mothers + companions. But figure 10 families per day x 30 days = 300 families. That's not many considering how many have residences in London, and is enough to tip the scales into much more expensive fare sub-categories.
May 4, 2017 | 3:50 pm
#20
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 295
I would like to add that there are more than 16k HK students studying in the UK, and that's only counting students doing higher education (ie. in university). There are loads of HK students in the secondary schools as well so students and related traffic is huge, on top of strong business ties between HK and London and tourists.
There was a period of time you can find more than 10 flights between HK and London every day and all of them are either full or very close to full during peak seasons
There was a period of time you can find more than 10 flights between HK and London every day and all of them are either full or very close to full during peak seasons
May 4, 2017 | 5:57 pm
#21
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX DM
Posts: 1,144
I would like to add that there are more than 16k HK students studying in the UK, and that's only counting students doing higher education (ie. in university). There are loads of HK students in the secondary schools as well so students and related traffic is huge, on top of strong business ties between HK and London and tourists.
There was a period of time you can find more than 10 flights between HK and London every day and all of them are either full or very close to full during peak seasons
There was a period of time you can find more than 10 flights between HK and London every day and all of them are either full or very close to full during peak seasons
And yes I remember the 10x daily flights. It was 4 CX, 2 BA, 1 QF, 1 NZ, 1 VS and 1 Oasis. Still remember the disbelief from Americans and continental Europeans.
May 6, 2017 | 2:08 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold/OW emerald, QR
Posts: 16,963
A lot of people seem to be complaining that flights are very full in May/June.
But airlines cannot taylor their fleet just for a few peak periods. Planes fly year around. There will be periods where planes are half full and periods when they are full full.
In the later case, CX might regret that they could have obtained a higher yield by pricing higher....
But airlines cannot taylor their fleet just for a few peak periods. Planes fly year around. There will be periods where planes are half full and periods when they are full full.
In the later case, CX might regret that they could have obtained a higher yield by pricing higher....
May 6, 2017 | 2:23 am
#24
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 21,960
A lot of people seem to be complaining that flights are very full in May/June.
But airlines cannot taylor their fleet just for a few peak periods. Planes fly year around. There will be periods where planes are half full and periods when they are full full.
In the later case, CX might regret that they could have obtained a higher yield by pricing higher....
But airlines cannot taylor their fleet just for a few peak periods. Planes fly year around. There will be periods where planes are half full and periods when they are full full.
In the later case, CX might regret that they could have obtained a higher yield by pricing higher....
The fundamental factors don't suggest CX should be selling a lot more seats - PRC majors are ramping up supply of seats to PRC travellers now, the local economy isn't as good as previous years.
So is CX changing its pricing strategies again?
Or have we missed some fundamental factor or fundamental factor shift?
May 6, 2017 | 10:04 am
#25
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 328
I don't think we're complaining, I don't even have any skin in the game, just trying to understand why.
The fundamental factors don't suggest CX should be selling a lot more seats - PRC majors are ramping up supply of seats to PRC travellers now, the local economy isn't as good as previous years.
So is CX changing its pricing strategies again?
Or have we missed some fundamental factor or fundamental factor shift?
The fundamental factors don't suggest CX should be selling a lot more seats - PRC majors are ramping up supply of seats to PRC travellers now, the local economy isn't as good as previous years.
So is CX changing its pricing strategies again?
Or have we missed some fundamental factor or fundamental factor shift?
1) The latest Purchasing Managers' Index bounce back over 50 which means the economy of Hong Kong is expanding.
2) Some may be afraid the electronic ban of UK may extend to Qatar and UAE finally.
May 6, 2017 | 3:44 pm
#27
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: CX
Posts: 20
My guess is that it is all about yield, not capacity. Just before Easter I flew in PEY on CX254 from LHR to HKG. I booked my ticket around six months before. I was checking the fares again four weeks prior departure. There was only Y-full fare available for sale, PEY wasn't even bookable. The same situation a week before departure. I was expecting a very full flight out of London. However, when I checked about capacity at the lounge I was told that the load was very light. Indeed, there were not even 100 passengers waiting at the gate and PEY was almost empty. It looks like CX is optimizing its yield....
May 6, 2017 | 5:09 pm
#28
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold
Posts: 1,078
My guess is that it is all about yield, not capacity. Just before Easter I flew in PEY on CX254 from LHR to HKG. I booked my ticket around six months before. I was checking the fares again four weeks prior departure. There was only Y-full fare available for sale, PEY wasn't even bookable. The same situation a week before departure. I was expecting a very full flight out of London. However, when I checked about capacity at the lounge I was told that the load was very light. Indeed, there were not even 100 passengers waiting at the gate and PEY was almost empty. It looks like CX is optimizing its yield....
May 7, 2017 | 2:19 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: London/ Hong Kong
Programs: CX SL, BAEC Gold, IHG, Hyatt, Starwood,Ritz Carlton Reward
Posts: 122
Yes, so my 300 is a pretty insignificant figure. Some of the CX flights at the start and end of term should be re-designated Hogwarts Express Airlines. At other select times, the Mummies fly out for parent teacher consultations at their childrens' schools, and run into each other in J.
And yes I remember the 10x daily flights. It was 4 CX, 2 BA, 1 QF, 1 NZ, 1 VS and 1 Oasis. Still remember the disbelief from Americans and continental Europeans.
And yes I remember the 10x daily flights. It was 4 CX, 2 BA, 1 QF, 1 NZ, 1 VS and 1 Oasis. Still remember the disbelief from Americans and continental Europeans.