Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s youngest international carrier, is planning to launch flights to Zurich, Switzerland, and Barcelona, Spain, next year as part of its efforts to extend its reach into Europe.
Speaking at the airline’s annual shareholders’ meeting yesterday, Starlux chairman Chang Kuo-wei (張國煒) said that the company has applied to fly to Zurich and Barcelona to expand its network in Europe beyond Prague, with the new services to start on Aug. 1.
In addition to Europe, New Zealand and Australia would be targets for expansion next year, and the airline also has plans to increase its presence in the US, Chang said.
Photo: Tsai Yun-jung, Taipei Times
Starlux already serves Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, Arizona, but Chang said it has set its sights on further expansion in the US and is considering Chicago, Washington, New York and Dallas, Texas, as possible destinations.
On the cargo side, Chang said Starlux has ordered 10 A350F planes to bolster its services.
Shareholders asked when Starlux would join the Oneworld alliance, one of the world’s three major airline alliances.
Chang said that as a young carrier, Starlux remained a stranger to the Oneworld alliance, although some leading carriers in the alliance have suggested that it work with members first before pursuing membership.
As a result, Starlux has partnered with Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, two Oneworld alliance members, he said.
Starlux chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said after taking delivery of two A350-900s and one A330-900neo last year, Starlux had a fleet of 29 aircraft, handling 4.90 million passengers and 87,000 tonnes of cargo last year.
In the middle of last year, Starlux signed an agreement with Airbus to purchase 10 A350-1000 passenger aircraft to boost its wide-body capacity, targeting long-haul routes, Chai said.
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