Obscene flight prices from HK/Asia to CAN/USA

[qhank]

Before June you could find very low prices, now it’s hellish.
Unless you fly out from Moscow, then it’s 300-350 Euro one way

You're talking about a temporary surge due to peak summer travel. The prices for China/USA are consistently high throughout the year.

There are 24 flights per week between PVG and LHR, but only single flight between PVG and LAX.

[Morrison]

You're talking about a temporary surge due to peak summer travel. The prices for China/USA are consistently high throughout the year.

There are 24 flights per week between PVG and LHR, but only single flight between PVG and LAX.

You are talking about the flights that I did not put in bold

[seirin]

They argue that Chinese airlines are competing unfairly by using Russian airspace.

From a few years back, but here's another reason

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...?sref=k3PQnMQT

[D.YU]

It is entirely political. Flight prices between China (and by extension the rest of East Asia) and USA are high because the flight capacity has not yet been restored to pre-pandemic levels due to the US DOT refusing to increase flight capacity:

Where flight capacity has been restored, e.g., between China and Europe, between China and Australia, flight prices are back to pre-pandemic levels.

Exactly. Why I say its political, its because you notice a severe difference in flight availability vs other SE Asia countries. The flights to Thailand, Japan, Vietnam has restored to the former glory, while flights to North America has yet to recover to pre pandemic numbers.

[Cwbguy]

Might be worth looking at EVA Air from Bangkok to London.
Pre covid their biz class deals were excellent, as was the service.
Just looked and in Oct cattle is £905, biz £3k+.

[Cancellara]

Not sure if anyone has pointed this out but Mainland China's aviation sector has only just started their recovery and reinstating the previous cancelled routes as well as terminal berths since the reopening earlier this year.
This has led to a massive spillover effect as many of them have little choice but to transit thru HK, and by default CX & HX, onward to their destinations.

[Cornmeal]

Have you tried playing around with ITA to find alternative routes or fares?

https://matrix.itasoftware.com/search

Same results, 25k for long layovers somewhere, cheapest options still via EU (FRA/CDG) with 2 separate bookings about 16-18k, cost is acceptable but I'm getting old, just the thought of the extra 2 days journey time makes me tired, even though I wouldn't really mind a day in EU both ways...

[ByeByeEngland]

sorry was multitasking - in fairness we’re all feeling the pain. And a bloody 14 hour flight for me back to UK tonight due to Ukraine diversion. And I just checked, booked weeks ago 20K economy! I used to cry if it was over 10K. Ive done Business class for 25K a couple of times before with Finnair.

I have no idea how I did this but I’ve just checked in for my return flight and I’ve actually booked Premium on the return so my post is actually invalid and I’m actually in with a better chance of a business upgrade (however slim). An unexpected bonus which has cheered me no end.

[ByeByeEngland]

And one further update! After griping that no upgrade for years (and the last was a pretty pointless business to Vietnam) I was utterly gobsmacked to get an upgrade to business for the flight back. Proof that however rare they are still happening. Sheer heaven!

12 hours exactly on the way back, left on time, landed 20 mins early. Out of HKIA in 27 mins from touchdown even with an east to west landing on the new runway

[Peaky]

I have no idea how I did this but I’ve just checked in for my return flight and I’ve actually booked Premium on the return so my post is actually invalid and I’m actually in with a better chance of a business upgrade (however slim). An unexpected bonus which has cheered me no end.

That happened to me last December back to UK lufthansa via FRA... it was a skyscanner click through and ended up ticketing the return leg FRA to HK in premium unexpectedly. Then got a bunch of fails with the agency on ticketing which needed a call to the help desk... not sure if it was related, and maybe they had oversold economy or whether it was coincidental. As you say, the price was a bit easier to swallow as a result.

Another good tip which got me an economy to biz upgrade last month is on Qatar Airways the DOH/HKG flights are on ex Cathay planes which have a Premium Economy section... qatar don't have a Premium class, so they just act as paid economy “Comfort” seats. Only an HKD1000 seat cost but got me to the top of the list to be bumped up when flying solo. I think they like to give those comfort seats as free upgrades for good economy customers so those who pay for them have a chance of biz.