The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has given the nod to Virgin Australia’s strategic alliance with HNA Aviation, Hong Kong Airlines and HK Express for a five-year term. This decision follows the ACCC’s decision to grant draft authorisation for the alliance in June 2017. 

John Borghetti, group chief executive and managing director Virgin Australia said: “Travellers are already embracing the benefits offered by the alliance, including the direct Melbourne – Hong Kong services that Virgin Australia launched last month. We look forward to working with our partners to strengthen the important tourism and trade connections between Australia, Hong Kong and mainland China and bring more travellers to Australia."

 

Virgin Australia and its alliance partners have commenced the first stage of the alliance with the launch of:

 

• Virgin Australia’s direct, five-times weekly return services between Melbourne and Hong Kong; 

 

• a code-share partnership between Virgin Australia and Hong Kong Airlines that offers code-share connectivity to 11 destinations across their flight networks;

 

• an interline agreement between Virgin Australia and Hong Kong Airlines that enables guests travelling from Australia to Hong Kong to book onward travel to 10 destinations in mainland China and 

 

• a reciprocal partnership between Velocity Frequent Flyer and Fortune Wings Club, the loyalty program of Hong Kong Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Capital Airlines and Tianjin Airlines.

 

Under the second stage of the alliance, Virgin Australia is exploring the introduction of new direct services between Australia and China.