China Airlines Joins SkyTeam

China Airlines soared into the SkyTeam alliance in September at an impressive ceremony in Taipei, becoming the 15th carrier and the first Taiwanese airline to join the global alliance. SkyTeam chairman Leo van Wijk summed up the move: “Our customers want to do business in Taiwan, and there-fore it’s vital that SkyTeam has a strong presence here.” China Airlines’ membership adds value to the alliance for both passenger and cargo customers.

Dominique Patry, vice president, international affairs and alliances at Air France, underscored that the alliance contributes to the growth of China Airlines and Taiwan, noting that either Air France or China Airlines will be flying Taipei (TPE) to Paris (CDG) as soon as possible. China Airlines chairman Chia-Juch Chang stressed that the alliance will promote the growth of Taiwan’s aviation industry and further development at the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project.

From its hub in Taipei, one of Asia’s strongest economies, China Airlines operates a diverse passenger and cargo network throughout the wider Asia-Pacific region, North America and Europe. With the addition of China Airlines, SkyTeam becomes the biggest alliance serving the greater China market, offering 7,510 daily departures worldwide from hubs in Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (PVG), Guangzhou (CAN) and Taipei. China Airlines also brings three new destinations to the SkyTeam network: Okinawa (NAH) and Miyazaki (KMI) in Japan and Surabaya (SUB) in Indonesia.

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