China Airlines returns to Seattle, starts repositioning in U.S. market

Seattle, July 14 (CNA) A China Airlines flight arrived in Seattle Sunday evening, marking the Taiwanese carrier's return to the American city and its first step in further building its presence in the United States market, a company executive said.

Flight CI22 touched down at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport shortly before 7:30 p.m., and a special ceremony was held for the arriving flight, China Airlines' first between Taipei and Seattle since 2008.

Around 50 percent of the passengers on the flight were transit passengers heading to other destinations, said China Airlines President Kao Shing-hwang (高星潢), who was on the plane to Seattle, the carrier's sixth destination in North America.

Transiting through Seattle to other U.S. cities takes less time than Los Angeles, a popular transit hub for many Asian travelers, Kao said.

Seattle is the first step of China Airlines' plan to reposition itself in the U.S. market, after the company established a European network when it launched flights between Taipei and Prague last year, according to Kao.

When asked whether the carrier will add other new destinations in the U.S., such as Washington, D.C., Kao said the possibility existed, as the company was evaluating opportunities in the northeastern and southern United States.

It will depend on when the 24 Boeing 787 jets -- 18 787-9s and six 787-10s -- it ordered in 2022 and 2023 are delivered, he said.

China Airlines is expecting to receive the first of the 24 Boeing 787 jets it ordered in 2025, but it has acknowledged possible delays because of supply chain issues.

The beginning of China Airlines' five weekly round-trip flights between Taipei and Seattle followed Delta Air Lines' launch of daily services on the same route that began on June 7.

Taiwan's Starlux Airlines will become the fourth carrier to fly between Taipei and Seattle when its three weekly round-trip services are launched on Aug. 15.

Facing the growing competition on the route, EVA Airways increased the number of its weekly round-trip flights from seven to 10 from June 25.