Long-haul budget airline finally takes off

Hong Kong's first long-haul budget airline is finally on course following initial delays.

Oasis had been scheduled to fly its first flight from Hong Kong to Gatwick Airport on Wednesday but Russia's last-minute decision to remove permission to fly through its airspace caused a 24-hour wait for passengers.

Chairman Raymond Lee explained that he had been 'shocked' by Russia's withdrawal but he later added: "We've been approved from a very responsible and reliable source that we can definitely fly through the Moscow airspace today."

Inconvenienced passengers have been offered 500 Hong Kong dollars (£34) and a free flight ticket as compensation.

The Boeing 747 was fully booked with 300 passengers on board and is the first step for Oasis in transforming the long-haul airline market. It is expected that tickets for the regular services from Hong Kong to London could cost just $200 (£112) in economy including the relevant tax.

In addition, Oasis has confirmed that it will continue to offer in-flight services as well as business class fares as well as offering services to the US and Germany.