HKG-Tokyo (NRT/HND) Availability, March 25?

[goosewacker]

Hi there,

Trying to book a return flight from HKG to Tokyo (NRT/HND) in late March 2025, looking to get ahead of the game and lock a couple of crucial dates in as revenue seats.

It seems like Cathay has not released availability on the HKG-Tokyo route from the 23nd of March onwards. Expertflyer shows the routes as timetabled but no seat availability in any class (rewards or revenue seats), Cathay's internal timetable shows the flights as not scheduled. This isn't a rolling release thing as we have been monitoring it for a number of weeks. Other routes are well advanced with revenue seats released, it's just the Hong Kong-Tokyo route that is problematic.

Don't suppose anyone has any context on this route or why release has been delayed (or when it can be expected), please?

Cheers in advance.

 

[elanshin]

Absolute peak Japan travel season for Cherry Blossom season.

If you could pick one time where Japanese flights inbound on every aircraft is packed its mid to late march.

I travelled last year around that time from HKG. Both absolute coughhouse timing 1:30 am departure from HKG (1x a350, 1x 787one JL one CX) were 100% full. And that flight is a nightmare timing. This year I just went direct from SYD.

 

[goosewacker]

Thanks for the reply - I don't think this is the case as there is plenty of JL availability and CX availability is limited, it's like the flights just haven't been timetabled or released yet. Appreciate the insight though, we were thinking cherry blossom season is later in the year!

 

[goosewacker]

I think I solved this one myself, Cathay hasn't timetabled any flights yet on the IATA Summer Schedule, commencing 30th March (last Sunday in March). Based on some 2023 posts here and on Reddit, they did something similar for this year which delayed release of flight timetables past the normal rewards or cash booking window. If anyone has an idea on when they're likely to release this I'm all ears.

 

[rbjhan]

No idea about when CX will do their thing...but if you are going late Mar early Apr, to some popular places, then I suggest book hotels like now...Peak travel time is no joke.
Last year I was in Kyoto early April and the tourist info office there literally posted a sign saying "no hotel vacancy today" every day!

 

[goosewacker]

No idea about when CX will do their thing...but if you are going late Mar early Apr, to some popular places, then I suggest book hotels like now...Peak travel time is no joke.
Last year I was in Kyoto early April and the tourist info office there literally posted a sign saying "no hotel vacancy today" every day!

Appreciate it! We have bookings locked in already - just waiting on the flights to become available. MH has availability already but CX far better airline with better lounges.