Taiwan-based China Airlines is gearing up for the post-pandemic recovery in the passenger market by introducing five weekly direct flights to Da Nang, Vietnam beginning January 2, 2023. The route will be flown by the latest A321neo passenger aircraft, marking yet another addition to China Airlines' Southeast Asia network following the launch of services to Cebu and Chiang Mai.
China Airlines is set to operate five Taipei-Da Nang return flights each week departing every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Flight duration is just three hours one way. Da Nang is a famous coastal city in central Vietnam. It has been dubbed “Hawaii of the East” due to its extensive tourism resources. It is popular among both local residents and international visitors due to its proximity to the historic city of Hoi An, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hue Citadel, Ba Na Hills, and other sights.
China Airlines is expanding its network in Vietnam while continuing to develop the market for bilateral travel. China Airlines had operated daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi before COVID-19. The launching of the Taipei-Da Nang route next year will give China Airlines full coverage of northern, central and southern Vietnam. Benefits include greater access to the Vietnamese market to meet Taiwanese demand for travel to Vietnam and more flexibility in their itineraries. The frequent services will not just serve travelers flying between Taiwan and Vietnam either. China Airlines operates up to 30 flights between Taiwan and North America each week, tapping the market of travelers who move between the two regions to visit relatives or study overseas.
China Airlines has high hopes for the Southeast Asia business and tourism market and has increased the number of services on Southeast Asia routes by 50% in Q4. The increase was not limited to departures from Taipei but also applied to routes departing from central and southern Taiwan. From October onwards, the Kaohsiung-Manila route will be increased to three flights a week. Services will resume on the Taichung-Ho Chi Minh route from November 18 with four direct flights a week. Kaohsiung-Bangkok services will resume from January 2023 so people in central and southern Taiwan will no longer have to travel to northern Taiwan. Southeast Asia will have 17 passenger-carrying routes in operation during the Lunar New Year peak period at the end of January 2023. About 120 return flights to Southeast Asia destinations will be offered each week to provide Taiwanese travelers more international travel options.
China Airlines is increasing its overall number of passenger-carrying flights by 50% in Q4 in anticipation of the borders re-opening. Services will also be resumed or launched to high-potential destinations in Southeast Asia. Transit products for return flights between North America/Europe and Southeast Asia, return flights between Europe and Oceania, and from Oceania to Northeast Asia are being heavily promoted to expand service coverage and improve passenger revenues.
