New flight routes expand links with South, SE Asia

2016/12/05

Local airlines and foreign carriers have unveiled new direct flights and code-share routes between Taiwan and major international destinations, the latest in a series of public and private sector efforts to expand transportation links between the nation and South and Southeast Asia.

Taiwan’s EVA Airways Corp. and Air India launched Dec. 1 a code-share Taipei-Mumbai route that will connect EVA flights from Taipei to Bangkok and Singapore with Air India services between the two Southeast Asian cities and the Indian metropolis.

EVA, which operates 24 flights a week to Bangkok and two daily flights to Singapore, said the service allows for more convenient connections by enabling passengers to travel using one ticket and check luggage through to their final destination.

Vietnamese budget airline Vietjet Air has announced the commencement of ticket sales for its new Taichung-Ho Chi Minh City direct route. Slated to begin Jan. 15, the service will comprise four round-trip flights a week.

The airline was invited to establish the route by the Taichung City Government as part of efforts to boost visitor numbers from Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states. According to Chen Sheng-shan, director-general of the municipality’s Tourism Bureau, the city government will work to establish additional travel connections between Taichung and the region so as to further promote the tourism sector in central Taiwan.

Taiwan carrier China Airlines unveiled Nov. 28 its plans to launch code-share Taipei-Amsterdam flights in partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Set to commence Jan. 9, the four direct flights per week will reduce travel times between the two cities by up to four hours.

These expansion plans mark another step forward in the Republic of China (Taiwan) government’s efforts to increase transportation links between the nation and major global cities, especially those in South and Southeast Asia. Under the New Southbound Policy, the government is working to create fresh economic impetus by deepening agriculture, business, education, tourism and trade ties between Taiwan and ASEAN member states, South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=249886&ctNode=2194&mp=9)