China Airlines, EVA Air report record-breaking April sales

Taipei, May 13 (CNA) China Airlines (CAL) and EVA Airways (EVA Air) reported their highest-ever April sales on Monday, driven by strong demand amid the post-COVID-19 tourism boom.

In a statement, CAL reported NT$17.90 billion (US$588 million) in consolidated sales, an 8.02 percent increase from the previous year. Revenue from its passenger flight operations rose 0.71 percent, reaching NT$10.63 billion.

CAL attributed the increase in outbound travelers from Taiwan to the load factor -- an industry metric that measures the percentage of passenger capacity used -- for flights to Penang, Amsterdam and Chengdu, which topped 90 percent in April, the highest among its destinations.

In cargo services, CAL reported a 22.52 percent increase in sales from a year earlier, reaching NT$5.76 billion in April. The carrier adjusted its cargo flight schedule to meet demand for rush orders from buyers who had built up inventories during the 90-day pause in U.S. reciprocal tariffs.

EVA Air reported NT$18.48 billion in consolidated sales for April, a 3.41 percent increase from the previous year. Revenue from passenger flights and cargo services reached NT$11.84 billion and NT$4.44 billion, respectively.

EVA Air said the load factor of its long-haul flights topped 90 percent, as did flights to regional destinations like Da Nang, Bali and Hanoi.

EVA Air said it quickly adjusted cargo flight schedules to meet demand amid the Trump administration's tariffs and allocated space on passenger flights to accommodate cargo, maintaining momentum in cargo services.

Starlux Airlines, Taiwan's newest international carrier, reported a 35 percent year-on-year increase in consolidated sales, reaching NT$3.597 billion in April. Revenue from passenger flights rose 25 percent to NT$2.90 billion.

In April, Starlux Airlines reported an 85 percent year-on-year increase in cargo sales, reaching NT$378 million, driven by shipments of semiconductors and fresh fruit.

Starlux Airlines reported NT$14.79 billion in consolidated sales for the first four months, a 39 percent increase from the previous year.

Tigerair Taiwan, the country's only budget carrier, posted NT$1.31 billion in consolidated sales in April, down 1.6 percent from a year earlier.

Despite a decline in April, Tigerair Taiwan's consolidated sales for the first four months rose 6.5 percent year-on-year to NT$5.94 billion, with an average load factor of around 87 percent, reflecting stable demand.