Three companies have over the past six months secured permits to establish airlines, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said yesterday.
Starlux Airlines Corp (星宇航空) secured a permit last week, while TDA Air (騰達航空) and Alpha Jet (灣捷航空) did so earlier, the agency said.
TDA Air and Alpha Jet applied to offer private jet services, while Starlux would offer civil air transport services, it said.
Starlux has two years to establish the airline after securing the permit, while TDA and Alpha each has one year to do so, agency Deputy Director Fang Chih-wen (方志文) said.
Starlux qualified to apply for a civil carrier license after the agency amended the Civil Air Transport Enterprise Regulations (民用航空運輸業管理規則), which took effect on March 8.
According to the amendments, individuals or companies interested in operating a civil air transport company no longer need to have more than five years’ experience in operating international transport or trade businesses.
However, if they plan to offer scheduled or non-scheduled flights on international air routes, their equity capital must be no less than NT$6 billion (US$202.7 million), which they must prove with a financial statement.
Also, their fleet must contain at least three aircraft, according to the regulations.
Starlux must apply to the Ministry of Economic Affairs to ascertain that it has obtained the minimum paid-in capital to establish an airline company, Fang said.
It also needs to undergo evaluations conducted by the agency in five stages, in which the agency would examine the company’s business plan, as well as its plans and required certifications for flight and fleet expansion, aircraft maintenance and personnel training, and aviation safety management, Fang said.
As Starlux plans to introduce the Airbus 321neo aircraft to Taiwan, it must also apply for an aircraft type certification, Fang said.
The company would receive a civil air transport operator certificate, with which it must apply for an air route certificate, Fang said, adding that it must then submit its flight schedule and pricing scheme before it can officially begin operations.
TDA and Alpha also must undergo similar evaluations before securing a permit for general aviation enterprise, Fang said.
Starlux said in a statement that it aims to complete the evaluations by the end of next year and begin operations in 2020.
It plans to use three A321 aircraft to offer flights to East and Southeast Asian nations at the initial stage of operation, Starlux said.
Flights to the US would be offered one year after it officially begins operations, it said.
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