Starlux Airlines to provide flights to Miyako Islands from Aug. 22 to Oct. 24

Taipei, May 7 (CNA) Starlux Airlines, the newest international carrier in Taiwan, announced on Wednesday that it will provide direct flights to the Miyako Islands in Japan from Aug. 22 to Oct. 24, the country being one of the top destinations for Taiwanese travelers.

Using A321neo aircraft, Starlux Airlines said it will provide two round-trip flights a week to the Miyako Islands during the two month period, making it the first Taiwanese carrier to fly to Shimoji Island in the Miyako archipelago.

Starlux Airlines said tickets are available now for the one and half hour trip from Taipei to the Miyako Islands.

According to Starlux Airlines, the Miyako Islands are about a one hour flight from Okinawa and famous for their beautiful beaches and clear water, which have led to them being dubbed the "Maldives in East Asia." They are also renowned for cave diving, with divers able to explore a large area of coral reefs, watch turtles and thousands of fish species.

The carrier said it has partnered with Lion Travel Service Co., Richmound Tours and ezTravel to launch independent and tour group packages for the new Japanese destination.

Passengers on the maiden flight will receive a special gift, Starlux Airlines said.

The new Miyako Islands route follows the direct flights to Kobe launched by the carrier in April.

Starlux Airlines has said it will continue to expand its Japanese destination network, adding that the average load factor -- an industry metric that measures the percentage of passenger capacity used -- on its routes to Japan surpassed 90 percent in the first quarter of this year.

In addition to Kobe, Starlux Airlines flies to several other destinations in Japan, including Sapporo, Hakodate, Sendai, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Takamatsu, Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Okinawa.