United Airlines, Tigerair Taiwan launch flights to Guam, Oita

Taipei, April 2 (CNA) United Airlines launched its new Taipei(Taoyuan)-Guam route on Wednesday, offering twice-weekly flights, while Tigerair Taiwan inaugurated its Taipei(Taoyuan)-Oita service also flying twice a week.

United Airlines operates the new route using a Boeing 737-800 with 166 seats. Departures from Taoyuan International Airport are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and 11:00 a.m. on Saturdays, while return flights from Guam leave at 7:00 a.m. on both days.

To mark the inaugural flight, representatives from the Guam Visitors Bureau and United Airlines visited Taiwan on Wednesday. At the Taoyuan airport, they emphasized their joint efforts to promote Guam as a travel destination.

Kenichi Kiriyama, United Airlines' director of sales for Japan, Micronesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan, highlighted the airline's long-standing presence in Taiwan since 1986.

Since 2014, the American carrier has transported 2 million passengers between Taoyuan and San Francisco, he said, adding that in addition to the Taipei(Taoyuan)-Guam route, the airline plans to launch flights from Kaohsiung to Tokyo on July 12.

Meanwhile, Tigerair Taiwan's new Taipei(Taoyuan)-Oita route makes Oita its 21st destination in Japan and its fourth direct flight to Kyushu, following Fukuoka, Saga, and Miyazaki.

The Taipei(Taoyuan)-Oita service operates twice weekly, with outbound flights departing at 12 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and return flights from Oita leaving at 4:30 p.m. the same days, according to the low-cost airline.