Starlux to launch Taipei-Phu Quoc Island flights on July 1

Taipei, March 20 (CNA) Starlux Airlines will begin operating flights between Taipei and Phu Quoc Island on July 1, the fourth Vietnamese destination to which the airline flies, the company said Wednesday.

The flights via A321 neo aircraft will operate every day except for Tuesday and Saturday, the carrier said in a news release.

Outbound flights will depart from Taoyuan International Airport at 3 p.m. and arrive at the resort island at 5:55 p.m. (local time).

Return flights will take off from the Phu Quoc Island at 6:55 p.m. (local time) and land in Taiwan at 11:55 p.m., according to Starlux.

The carrier, which currently flies from Taipei to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang, will also launch flights between Taichung and Da Nang on April 2.

Meanwhile, budget airline Tigerair Taiwan will increase the number of services connecting Taipei and Phuket Island in Thailand from two to three weekly flights.

According to the airline, the new schedule will last for at least one year, from May 21, 2023, to May 20, 2024.

Local travel agencies said they are optimistic about the expansion of the service, noting robust demand for the route.

Data from Taiwan's Tourism Administration showed that the country saw 777,326 travelers visit Thailand last year, making it the fifth most popular outbound destination.

According to travel agencies, there is also considerable interest in traveling to destinations like Northeast Japan, as well as the country's Okinawa Prefecture, Kumamoto City, Kagoshima City, and Nagoya City.