2 flights from Taipei restored

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i's tourism industry got more good news yesterday with China Airlines' announcement that it will reinstate two flights from Taipei to Honolulu in July for the first time since 2001.

The announcement came at the end of a week in which Asia's largest airline, Japan Airlines, said it plans to add one more Honolulu flight per day out of both Tokyo and Osaka.

China Airlines currently flies five flights per week from Taipei to Narita to Honolulu. It canceled its Thursday and Sunday nonstop flights on May 1, 2001, following decreased demand, said James Tsaur, China Airlines sales manager.

"After SARS, the airlines really suffered," Tsaur said. "We were looking for tourist attractions. Hawai'i used to be one of best attractions for Chinese people."

The nonstop flights will each add a maximum of 410 passengers aboard Boeing 747-400s. And it means China Airlines will fly to Honolulu seven days a week, he said.

"As Taiwan successfully contains SARS, demand for overseas travel is rebound(ing) rapidly," the airline said in a statement."