Hong Kong Express to hire 400 cabin crew ahead of LCC transformation

Hong Kong Express stated it is planning to recruit 400 cabin crew from Hong Kong ahead of its transformation into a LCC by the end of this year, as reported by South China Morning Post. Hong Kong Airlines president Yang Jianhong, who is overseeing Hong Kong Express' transformation, stated, "the budget airline is a start-over because running a full service carrier and a LCC require totally different approaches". The transformed carrier has not been given a name. As previously reported, Mr Yang stated the new LCC will appoint a CEO with experience in European LCCs and will acquire 15 A320s over the next three to four years while its current fleet of five Boeing 737-800s will be transferred to Hong Kong Airlines in 2012. The new LCC is expected to compete with Cathay Pacific on its lucrative regional routes particularly to Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei.