China Airlines to ship aid to Thailand, Myanmar for free

Taipei, March 29 (CNA) Taiwan's China Airlines will ship disaster relief supplies to Thailand and Myanmar free of charge in the wake of a massive earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, the carrier said Saturday in a statement.

The airline said it will do its best to assist Taiwanese nationals and other travelers who have been affected and work with the government or charity organizations to support quake-hit areas.

According to the airline, its flights to and from Myanmar's commercial capital Yangon and Chiang Mai in northern Thailand have not been affected by the earthquake.

On Friday night, China Airlines said tickets for travel to and from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Yangon before April 15 can be canceled or changed without fees.

Similarly, another Taiwanese carrier, EVA Airways, said on its website that tickets to and from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Yangon issued before March 29 for travel between March 29 and April 30 can be canceled or changed once free of charge.

Starlux Airlines, also a Taiwanese airline, posted on its website that Starlux tickets to and from Bangkok and Chiang Mai for travel before April 4 can be canceled or changed without a fee.

The magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city at a depth of 10 kilometers. The temblor caused great damage around the country and in neighboring Thailand.