Starlux Airlines to issue lower year-end bonuses on falling profits

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) Starlux Airlines, the newest international carrier in Taiwan, said on Tuesday that it will give its employees year-end bonuses equivalent to one month of salaries, compared with two months last year, due to shrinking income.

In the third quarter of the year, Starlux Airlines incurred a loss per share of NT$0.15 (US$0.005), compared with NT$0.25 earnings per share (EPS) over the same period of last year, which the company previously attributed to concerns over a Japanese manga prediction of a deadly earthquake in Japan on July 5 and U.S. tariff policies.

Including the third quarter losses, Starlux Airlines posted an EPS of NT$0.16 for the first nine months of 2025, down from NT$0.64 a year earlier.

Despite the lower profitability, the airline said it will raise the wages of employees by about 3 percent on average, adding that it will continue to expand the company's global flight network, improve operations and boost the bottom line, to allow employees to share in company profits.

Currently, Starlux Airlines owns a fleet of 29 aircraft and operates 35 routes. The carrier said it will take delivery of 14 new planes starting from 2026 as part of its long-term expansion.

Meanwhile, industry sources said EVA Airways is likely to give year-end bonuses equivalent to 6.5 months of salaries after it posted an EPS of NT$3.43 in the first nine months of this year.

However, EVA Air, which gave 7 months of salaries as year-end bonuses last year, has not confirmed this year's figure.

China Airlines, which gave 6.6 months of salaries as year-end bonuses last year, and budget carrier Tigerair Taiwan, which gave 12.8 months, have not finalized this year's numbers.