Goldsun Group (國產實業集團), which holds a major stake in TransAsia Airways Corp (TNA, 復興航空), expects consolidated revenues this year to grow at an annual rate of 20 percent, boosted primarily by an increase in passenger traffic amid a global economic recovery, a group official said yesterday.
With two wide-body Airbus 330-300 aircraft joining its fleet, TransAsia will be the major driver for the group, chairman Lin Shiaw-shinn (林孝信) told reporters on the sidelines of the group’s annual party.
“This year will be much better than last year,” Lin said.
The group also operates cement and property-developing company Goldsun Development & Construction Co (國產實業), and security service provider Taiwan Secom Co (中興保全).
The group made NT$50 billion (US$1.72 billion) in consolidated revenues last year, missing its revenue target of NT$55 billion because of global economic weakness.
Lin was optimistic about this year’s outlook, saying the group would aim to increase its revenue by 20 percent year-on-year.
TransAsia, which focuses on regional routes in Asia, is chaired by Lin Shiaw-shinn’s eldest son, Vincent Lin (林明昇).
The carrier just took delivery of its second A330-300 aircraft from French-based aircraft manufacturer Airbus SAS, which is scheduled to arrive at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport tomorrow.
TransAsia plans to use the new aircraft to offer services on the Taipei-Shanghai route during the Lunar New Year holidays and afterwards on the Taipei-Osaka route.
TransAsia is also looking to launch new routes to Tokyo, Bangkok and Jakarta this year after the new planes join the fleet, boosting its capacity for international routes.
The airliner took delivery of its first A330-300 aircraft in November last year. The plane currently operates on flights to Singapore and Hokkaido, Japan.
The airline also expects to launch cross-continent routes with flying times of about nine hours, with cities in Australia, New Zealand, Guam, Hawaii and the Middle East as possible destinations.
TransAsia’s revenue hit a record high of NT$9.5 billion last year, up 8.67 percent from the previous year, the company said in a statement.
Net profit totaled NT$153.21 million, or NT$0.28 per share, in the first nine months of last year, giving it the highest earnings per share among the nation’s three listed airlines, the statement said.
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