Taiwan and Nicaragua last week inked an aviation agreement giving Taiwanese airlines more flexibility in flight routes through Central America.
Both sides signed the agreement on Wednesday last week, with the arrangement going into effect immediately.
Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said this is the first aviation agreement between the two nations, which resumed formal diplomatic relations in 1990.
The negotiation over the aviation pact took two years to complete and based on the agreement each nation can assign one or more carriers to the new flights, the CAA said, adding that direct or transit flights are allowed under the agreement.
Both nations have agreed not to impose caps on passenger or cargo flight numbers.
Carriers given exclusive rights to offer the new flight routes can launch new services or code-share with existing operators.
Taiwanese carriers would have more flexibility expanding flight services in Central America, the CAA said.
Taiwan also has aviation agreements with El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala and St Lucia.
El Salvador, Guatemala, St Lucia and Panama also have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
EVA Airways canceled direct flights to Panama due to low occupancy on flights.
Meanwhile, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport was rated No. 20 on the world’s best airport rankings this year by UK-based consultancy firm Skytrax, down from No. 17 in the previous year.
Taoyuan International Airport Corp attributed the downgrade to the airport operating on one runway due to a runway revamping project.
Some of the infrastructure at the airport was old and needed to be upgraded as well, the airport company said.
Taoyuan airport was rated No. 3 among the airports accessed by 30 million to 40 million passengers per year by this year. It was ranked No. 9 among airports in Asia.
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