Hong Kong Express, Hong Kong's first executive airline, launched its first scheduled service this week. The new route, from Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok airport to Guangzhou's New Baiyun International Airport will be served with four flights daily to meet the needs of the business travel market.

Coming barely one month after the airline officially launched on August 3, 2005, the new service to Guangzhou is the first in a planned roll out of routes that will see Hong Kong Express serve an extended network of cities in mainland China.

Services to Hangzhou are already scheduled to commence in early October and will be followed by flights to Nanjing, Chongqing and Ningbo throughout the latter months of 2005 into early 2006.

To enable these and future route launches, the airline plans to grow its fleet by an anticipated 2 aircraft per annum. Adding to its existing 76 seat Embraer 170 aircraft, Hong Kong Express will take delivery of a second aircraft of the same model at the end of this month.

As the capital of the Guangdong Province, Guangzhou is one the busiest international trading cities. Located at the heart of the Pearl River Delta, the city's strategic importance within Southern China and core industries have seen inbound business travel grow sharply over the last decade.

Speaking on behalf of Hong Kong Express, Mr. Andrew Tse, Hong Kong Express CEO said: Guangzhou is an important and busy route. The city's many trade fairs including the world renowned Canton Fair attract hundred of thousands of international business travellers each year, many of which arrive first into Hong Kong. Obviously, we are delighted to be launching our first scheduled service, but that it is to Guangzhou makes it all that more momentous.