Direct Hong Kong-Almaty flights may cut travel time by 10 hours, draw tourists

Direct flights between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan could save business travellers up to 10 hours and open the city’s shorelines to tourists from landlocked Central Asia, lawmakers have said after the flag carrier announced plans to launch an Almaty route next year.Lawmaker Jonathan Stuart Lamport, who represents the business sector, on Thursday said the announcement had received widespread support from the industry, as direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty would significantly strengthen ties between the two cities.Lamport cited the case of a merchant he knew who flew to Almaty and returned the same day but spent considerable time in transit.