EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) yesterday said it plans to offer more flights between Taipei and Los Angeles starting next week to meet increasing demand.
The airline currently offers three round-trip flights per week between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. It plans to raise the number to seven from Monday next week, with one flight per day, it said.
Despite the increase, the number of weekly flights would still be lower than EVA’s three flights per day prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, as most airlines have reduced their flights amid strict border controls since the onset of the pandemic last year.
Photo: CNA
EVA earlier told investors that it expects its passenger operations to begin recovering in the second half of this year as countries roll out vaccination programs.
An EVA official yesterday said that the airline has seen signs of rising demand on the Taipei-Los Angeles route.
“No other routes have presented the same rising demand. LA is the only destination where we will increase our flights,” the official said by telephone.
The airline will use Boeing 777-300 ER jets with seating capacity capped at 300 per flight.
“So far, the passenger load factor is not bad, or better than the average in our passenger operations, based on the reservations we have received,” the official said.
EVA did not comment on market rumors that demand is increasing because some Taiwanese are flying to the US to get COVID-19 jabs. It said it does not ask passengers about their reason for traveling.
The company’s shares yesterday rose by its daily limit of 10 percent to close at NT$20.05 in Taipei trading.
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