China Airlines Ltd (CAL) yesterday announced that it has formed a partnership with US-based Southwest Airlines to offer connecting flights to more than 30 cities across the US after Taiwanese passengers arrive at airports in Seattle, as well as California’s Los Angeles, Ontario and San Francisco.
Southwest Airlines — the world’s fourth-largest airline by fleet size, as well as the largest domestic carrier in the US by passenger volume — operates with high flight frequency and an extensive network of destinations, CAL said.
“This partnership — Southwest Airlines’ first in Asia — connects CAL’s transpacific routes with Southwest’s comprehensive US domestic network, enabling travelers from Taiwan to conveniently reach destinations across the US via the West Coast,” the airline said.
Photo courtesy of the China Airlines via CNA
“Travelers would be able to book CAL-Southwest interline tickets through the CAL Web site or major travel agency platforms. With a single ticket and one-time purchase, passengers can enjoy services such as seat selection for connecting flights and baggage check-through,” it said.
In other news, low-cost carrier AirAsia announced that it would begin offering flights connecting Taoyuan to Fukuoka, Japan, from Aug. 15.
Tickets are on sale through the budget airline’s Web site, which states that flights would be operated daily.
The itinerary would be part of its Sabah (Kota Kinabalu) to Fukuoka route, AirAsia said in a statement.
It is first time the airline would fly to a destination on Japan’s Kyushu Island, but also its 13th route with Taiwan as a connecting location, the company said.
With the Sabah-Taipei-Fukuoka route, Kota Kinabalu would become the second-largest air hub in the Southeast Asian country, AirAsia said.
In addition, the company would continue to advance its East Asia network to bolster connections between Asian countries, while further cultivating tourism and economic growth within the region, it said.
Japan is the most popular destination for travelers from Taiwan, with Tourism Administration data showing that more than 1.08 million Taiwanese visited Japan between January and February.
As a result of Japan’s popularity among Taiwanese, numerous airlines have designed routes to connect Taiwan with more cities in Japan.
Starlux Airlines is also to expand its operations in Japan in August, offering limited flights to Miyako Island in addition to its weekly flights to Kobe.
Tigerair Taiwan launched routes to Tottori and Oita, while CAL has resumed flights to Ishigaki Island.
Eva Airways has also begun flights connecting Taoyuan and Kobe, the airline’s Web site says.
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