Domestic airlines apply to end flights

Two more domestic airlines have applied to end domestic air routes, the Civil Aeronautics Administra-tion (CAA) confirmed on Monday after approving a different airline's request to end service between Taipei and Kaohsiung.

Domestic airlines have been hurt by the launch of the high speed rail, leading them to cut back service to reduce their losses.

On Monday, the agency approved an application by UNI Airways Corp (立榮航空), a subsidiary of EVA Airways (長榮航空), to stop serving its once lucrative Taipei-Kaohsiung route as of March 1.

The CAA also confirmed that Far Eastern Air Transport (遠東航空) had submitted an application last month to end its flights between Taipei and Tainan starting April 1. The firm has already reduced services on the route to one flight a day.

Because Far Eastern offers the earliest daily flight from Taipei to Tainan, the CAA has asked Trans-Asia Airways (復興航空), which also serves the two cities, to take over the early morning flight.

Another domestic carrier, Mandarin Airlines (華信航空), applied earlier this month to end its flights between Taichung and Taitung.

Only 2,558 passengers flew between Taichung and Taitung on Mandarin Airlines last year, down from 5,343 in 2006.

The administration said it would examine the two carriers' applications and make a decision after considering the carriers' costs, passenger convenience and the availability of alternative transport.