Airlines see robust post-COVID recovery in Taiwan market

Taipei, Feb. 4 (CNA) The aviation industry in Taiwan has in general experienced a robust recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, with many carriers expanding flight services, introducing new routes and offering discounts.

According to Taiwan-based China Airlines (CAL) last week, in late 2023, its transport capacity reached 80 percent of the 2019 level before the pandemic hit.

Among Taiwanese passengers' favorite destinations were Japan and Thailand, where more services are being added, said CAL's Taipei branch office general manager Solomon Lee (李宜洲).

For instance, flights connecting southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung and western Japan's Osaka were increased from seven to 10 per week starting Feb. 2, Lee said.

According to Lee, the number of weekly flight services on the Taipei-Kumamoto and Taipei-Nagoya routes between the two countries will also grow from four to five starting Feb. 27, and from seven to eleven beginning March 2, respectively.

Emirates, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of its first commercial flight to in Taipei this year, said both its passenger and revenue numbers for its Dubai-Taipei route were healthy in the last fiscal year.

"We are delighted to have successfully maintained operations on the Dubai-Taipei route for the past ten years, overcoming the unprecedented global pandemic," said Sultan Alriyami, the airline's Area Manager Taiwan.

Emirates added that it is offering discount tickets to passengers departing from Taiwan to multiple Middle Eastern and European destinations, with economy class fares starting at NT$28,777 (US$917) for bookings made from now to Feb. 19, for travel from now to Nov. 30, 2024.

In addition, low-cost carrier AirAsia launched direct flights from Kaohsiung to Bangkok, Thailand on Feb. 2, offering four flights a week.

The airline cited increasing travel volume in and out of Taiwan in 2023, as well as the Thai government's recent decision to not require visas for Taiwanese visitors from Nov. 10, 2023 through May 10, 2024.

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