Singapore Airlines (SIA) yesterday announced that it would on Aug. 25 relaunch its direct service between Taipei and Los Angeles after having suspended it since 2008.
The flight will depart from Taiwan every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 5:50pm, and return from Los Angeles every Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 12:40am, the airline said.
It would use an Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which features 42 business class seats, 24 premium economy class seats and 187 economy class seats.
“We are thrilled to introduce the non-stop service between Taipei and Los Angeles, which offers a convenient connection to one of the popular destinations for Taiwanese travelers. The service demonstrates SIA’s commitment to rebuild and grow our route network for passengers and cargo in Taiwan. Customers in Taiwan will be able to enjoy SIA’s industry-leading cabin products and in-flight services on this long-haul flight,” Singapore Airlines general manager in Taiwan Chua Kian-hwa (蔡建華) said.
Aside from offering a convenient non-stop flight, the service represents a significant increase in SIA’s freight capacity, with the shipment of general cargo and mail, perishable products and high-tech goods from Taiwan to the US’ west coast, the airline said.
The flight from Taipei to Los Angeles is now open for booking, it said, adding that travelers can enjoy economy class one-way airfare from NT$29,538 and round-trip airfare from NT$43,568, as well as a 64 percent discount on extra baggage before Aug. 24.
Travelers with bookings made on or before Sept. 30 can enjoy unlimited complimentary rebooking, and a one-time complimentary rebooking after Sept. 30, the airline said.
Student travelers who are KrisFlyer members and hold valid student documents can save 10 percent on selected fares and check in three pieces of baggage on their flight to the US, it added.
Passengers would be required to undergo temperature screening before boarding and wear masks at all times except during meals, the airline said.
They will be provided with a complimentary care kit containing a mask, hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes.
Every aircraft in the SIA Group fleet is equipped with HEPA filters, which remove more than 99.9 percent of the pathogens in the air, the airline said, adding that cabin air is refreshed every two to three minutes throughout the flight.
Also starting on Aug. 25, Flight SQ035 from Taipei to Singapore is to depart from 9:10am on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, while Flight SQ877 to Singapore will depart from Taipei at 2:35pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
LOW RISK: Most nations do not extradite people accused of political crimes, and the UN says extradition can only happen if the act is a crime in both countries, an official said China yesterday issued wanted notices for two Taiwanese influencers, accusing them of committing “separatist acts” by criticizing Beijing, amid broadening concerns over China’s state-directed transnational repression. The Quanzhou Public Security Bureau in a notice posted online said police are offering a reward of up to 25,000 yuan (US$3,523) for information that could contribute to the investigation or apprehension of pro-Taiwanese independence YouTuber Wen Tzu-yu (溫子渝),who is known as Pa Chiung (八炯) online, and rapper Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源). Wen and Chen are suspected of spreading content that supported secession from China, slandered Chinese policies that benefit Taiwanese and discrimination against Chinese spouses of
PROMOTION: Travelers who want a free stopover must book their flights with designated travel agents, such as Lion Travel, Holiday Tours, Cola Tour and Life Tours Air Canada yesterday said it is offering Taiwanese travelers who are headed to North America free stopovers if they transit though airports in Japan and South Korea. The promotion was launched in response to a potential rise in demand for flights to North America in June and July next year, when the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to jointly host the FIFA World Cup, Air Canada said. Air Canada offers services to 13 of the 16 host cities of the tournament’s soccer games, including Toronto and Vancouver; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Dallas; Houston;
The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million, the Pentagon said late yesterday, marking the first such potential transaction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130," and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office. The announcement of the possible arms
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
RSS