Aviation | Macau route approved for new Taiwan airline

Starlux Airlines, a new airline based in Taiwan, has received the green light to operate flights between Macau and the island.
Its maiden flight is expected to be on January 23 next year, while ticket sales are anticipated to begin a month earlier.
According to reports by Taiwanese media, the airline will start its operations with flights from Taiwan to Macau, Da Nang, Vietnam and Penang, Malaysia.
It has long been anticipated that Macau would be in the first group of destinations launched by the airline. Taiwan’s United Daily News reported that as services to Macau have been approved, the city could be the destination for Starlux’s maiden flight.
Starlux is aiming to focus on the elite market, prioritizing the quality of products and services. The airline’s website states that it will provide “superior safety, comfort and convenience.”
The airline will rely on its three A321neo’s to begin with. However, it has planned to purchase 17 A350XWBs, including 12 of the 1000 and five of the 900 variant, which will enable the airline to start services to Europe and the Americas. This purchase will make Starlux the largest Airbus aircraft operator in Taiwan.
Recently, Starlux’s competitor, EVA Air, has been trying to encourage travelers from Macau to use its transit services in Taipei en route to the Americas.
Currently, only three airlines provide flights between Taiwan and Macau: Air Macau, and Taiwan’s EVA Air and Tigerair Taiwan.
On normal days, the three airlines provide more than 12 two-way flights per day. During peak seasons, they have the liberty of adding flights or expanding capacity, as the cities have agreed on the “Open Sky” policy.
Starlux is not planning to stop exploring new destinations, however. Currently, it is applying for routes to Bangkok, Thailand and Cebu in the Philippines. AL