China Airlines launches inaugural flight to Phoenix

Taipei, Dec. 3 (CNA) China Airlines (CAL), one of the leading international carriers in Taiwan, launched its first flight to Phoenix on Wednesday afternoon, marking the carrier's seventh destination in North America.

CAL's flight CI036 took off from Taoyuan International Airport at 4:31 p.m., one minute behind schedule, using a nearly fully-booked A350-900.

CAL Chairman Kao Shing-Hwang (高星潢) presided over a ceremony for the inaugural flight, which was also attended by Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) and American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene.

In a statement, CAL said flights between the two cities will depart three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Flights from Taipei will depart at 4:30 p.m. and arrive in Phoenix at 1:35 p.m. local time on the same day, while flights from Phoenix will depart at 4 p.m. and arrive in Taipei at 10:20 p.m. the following day, the company said.

In the statement, CAL said the new direct route has a flight time of around 12 hours, cutting six hours of travel time previously required on a transfer route.

Phoenix will become CAL's seventh destination in North America -- in addition to Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Ontario (California) and Vancouver -- and its first in the American Southwest region, the airline said.

The demand for a direct Taiwan-Phoenix route comes in part from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which has invested US$650 billion in its chip manufacturing operations in the city, bringing in a large number of Taiwanese workers and their families.