Free Plane Tickets On Their Way, But Conditions Apply

The Travel Industry Council on Thursday said travel agencies will soon launch their free plane ticket giveaways, but customers will need to buy vacation packages and pay airport tax to receive the offer.

The free tickets are part of the administration’s promotional campaign aimed at attracting visitors to the city.

Cathay Pacific, HK Express, and Hong Kong Airlines will distribute the half-a-million free tickets.

About 10 percent of the tickets have been given to the council, which will hand them out to local travel agencies.

Its executive director Fanny Yeung said agencies are required to dish out the free tickets through vacation packages to amplify the tourism plan’s effect.

“When they get a free ticket, they have to sell another ticket and together with the hotel accommodation in Hong Kong and also other travel-related products or a transportation arrangement in Hong Kong,” she said.

Yeung added that those tickets are not refundable and cannot be transferred.

Even though the plane tickets are free, the tourism sector representative pointed out customers will still need to pay airport tax, adding that even though the authority does not allow any additional fees to be charged on the ticket itself, the travel agent is allowed to add a reasonable administrative fee on other items.

Yeung said some 1,600 licenced agencies are eligible to apply for either inbound or outbound tickets, but those planning to apply for inbound tickets will have to prove they can "publicise and reach [out] to the visitors to ask them to come to Hong Kong”.

She explained that a local travel agent would need to prove they had previously organised tour groups to the SAR, adding they will also need to find partners to market the territory in other places.

The redemption and travel dates for the tickets will depend on participating airlines, and cover places, including the mainland, Southeast Asia and Japan.