Taiwan's international carriers report new high in sales for H1

Taipei, July 11 (CNA) Four major international carriers in Taiwan have reported a new high in sales for the first half of this year on the back on a continued growing tourism market in the current summer vacation during the post COVID-19 era, while an increase in demand for cargo services also strengthened their performance.

China Airlines (CAL) said on Thursday that it benefited from a peak season during the current summer vacation and posted NT$104.06 billion (US$3.56 billion) in consolidated sales, up 5.24 percent from a year earlier.

In June alone, CAL's consolidated sales stood at NT$16.89 billion, up 1.64 percent from a month earlier but down 3.82 percent from a year earlier, with revenue generated from passenger flight operations at NT$10.29 billion and sales posted from cargo services at NT$53.33 billion.

The carrier said regional destinations, including Bali and Okinawa, enjoyed strong demand during the summer vacation period, while Brisbane and Sydney also saw strong interest.

The carrier added shipments to the United States increased as foreign buyers placed rush orders before a 90-day pause on the U.S. "reciprocal orders" announced on April 9.

Solid demand for artificial intelligence gadgets, semiconductor equipment, auto parts and fresh vegetables and fruit also strengthened its cargo services performance, it added.

EVA Airways also saw its consolidated sales for the January-June period hitting a new high of NT$110.25 billion, up 2.76 percent from a year earlier. In June, EVA Air's consolidated sales totaled NT$18.54 billion, down 4.51 percent from a year earlier but up 1.4 percent from a month earlier.

Due to the current summer vacation peak season, a load factor -- an industry metric that measures the percentage of passenger capacity used -- in the long-haul flights to North America and Europe came closer to 90 percent in June, while a load factor in the regional flights in the region also surpassed 80 percent.

EVA Air said cargo services demand from China recovered amid eased trade tensions between Beijing and Washington, while the carrier also benefited from solid demand for Taiwan's AI servers and semiconductor equipment, sending its cargo services sales higher.

Starlux Airlines, the newest international carrier in Taiwan, said its consolidated sales in the first half of the year rose 34 percent from a year earlier to NT$21.96 billion.

In June, Starlux Airlines said, sales generated from passenger flights rose 11 percent from a year earlier to NT$2.97 billion with cargo services revenue hitting a new high of NT$455 million, soaring 82 percent from a year earlier in reflection of strong demand from e-commerce operators and an increase in shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Tigerair Taiwan, the country's only budget carrier, said its consolidated sales in the January to June period rose 2.9 percent from a year earlier to NT$8.45 billion, with the number of flights and passengers up 2.1 percent and 2 percent, respectively, on a steady increase in demand.