TAIWAN-BASED China Airlines will start a new service on the Taipei-Melbourne-Christchurch route on October 25.
An Airbus A330-300 aircraft will be deployed on the thrice-weekly service, with 30 seats in business class and 277 seats in economy.
Melbourne Airport executive corporate & public affairs, Carly Dixon, said: “Taiwan is an important market and it’s growing strongly…This new service means that people travelling to and from Taiwan will have an easier journey as they no longer need to transit through other cities.
“Victorians will also benefit with access to China Airlines’ extensive global network, including the increasingly popular destinations of Japan and South Korea, while also adding another option for travel to Christchurch.”
China Airlines’ general manager, David Wu, commented: “By the end of 2015 we will be serving five cities in the Australasian region, providing 14 flights a week between Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan.”
Taipei is the state of Victoria’s 14th largest source market.
