Starlux Airlines relaunches direct flights to Manila

Taipei, Dec. 16 (CNA) Taiwan's Starlux Airlines on Tuesday relaunched its daily round-trip Taipei-Manila service.

Flight JX785 departed from Taoyuan International Airport at 8:20 a.m., while the return flight JX786 left Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 11:50 a.m., the carrier said in a news release.

With Taiwan and the Philippines granting each other visa-free stays of up to 14 days, and with flight times of less than two hours, the Taipei-Manila route will greatly enhance convenience and interaction for travelers, Starlux said.

The airline also noted that more than 160,000 Filipinos are currently working in Taiwan.

Starlux's Taipei-Manila flights were initially launched in 2021 but suspended in 2024 due to weak ticket sales.

With the relaunch, Starlux said it now operates 23 flights to the Philippines per week. The carrier also flies to Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Clark International Airport.