Are you referring to HK Express? It was originally started by the late Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho in 2004. It was acquired by Hainan two years later. The airline ran into difficulties due to poor management and was banned by the CAD from expanding into new routes. Finally it was acquired by CX in 2019.
A more noteworthy attempt at cracking the local air travel market was Oasis Hong Kong Airlines. Interestingly, it was started by a preacher-turned businessman. It was attempting to apply the low fare model to long haul routes, but also offering business class as well as economy. That airline lasted for just over 3 years, from 2005 to 2008, although in terms of actual flight operation, it lasted shorter than that. That airline faced stiff competition from established carriers like CX and its business model of pricing its tickets below CX, BA and other carriers proved unviable.
Still, I would not mock or ridicule Oasis. It was a geniune attempt to offer an alternative to CX. Any extra option is a net benefit from the view of the customer. And unless one has personally experienced it, few realized just how tough being an entrepreneur of a start-up is. I am not going to blame Oasis for trying, even if they ultimately failed.