Alliance Grows To 15 Members, Adds Taipei To Asian Hub Network

Global airline alliance Skyteam added China Airlines as its 15th member at a joining ceremony held in Taipei Tuesday. The flag passenger and cargo carrier of Taiwan, China Airlines becomes the first Taiwanese airline to join SkyTeam.

From its hub in Taipei, China Airlines operates a diverse passenger and cargo network throughout the wider Asia pacific region, North America and Europe, with a total of 224 daily departures to 80 destinations. The new member also brings three new destinations to the SkyTeam network: Okinawa and Miyazaki, Japan; and Surabaya, Indonesia.

Sdyteam says China Airlines complements the network of existing members, China Southern and China Eastern, and offers an extensive cross-strait operation to 20 major destinations in China. This provides SkyTeam customers with an unrivalled choice of travel options in the Greater China region.

"Thanks to excellent links to a number of existing SkyTeam hubs, China Airlines' membership adds value to the alliance for both passengers and cargo customers," said Michael Wisbrun, SkyTeam's Managing Director. "Adding a quality brand from a strong economic region will support SkyTeam's focus on our top priority- enhancing our products and services for our customers worldwide."

Delta president Ed Bastian attended the official joining ceremony in Taipei alongside representatives from fellow SkyTeam member airlines. "The addition of this well respected airline complements Delta's existing service to Taiwan and with China Airline's strong hub in Taipei our customers will benefit from improved access to one of the world's fastest-growing regions," he said.

FMI: www.skyteam.com