Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines eyes Los Angeles ops from 2022

Starlux Airlines (JX, Taipei Taoyuan) has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for exemption authority and a foreign air carrier permit as it ramps up preparations to begin scheduled passenger flights to the United States. In its application, the Taiwanese carrier said it aims to begin scheduled flights between Taipei Taoyuan and Los Angeles Int’l in 2022 using its 306-seater A350-900s. As such, the carrier is seeking authority to conduct scheduled and charter flights carrying persons, property, and mail from points behind Taiwan, via Taiwan and intermediate points, to a point or points in the United States, and beyond, as well as other charters. As previously reported, the Taiwanese Ministry of Transportation and Communications has already granted Starlux US scheduled passenger traffic rights for routes connecting Taipei to each of Los Angeles, San Francisco, CA, Guam Int’l, Honolulu, Seattle Tacoma Int’l, San José, CA, Ontario, New York JFK, New York Newark, Washington Dulles, Houston Intc’l, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami Int’l, and Boston. At present, Starlux operates four GECAS-owned A321-200NXs on scheduled flights connecting Taipei with Macau Int’l, Da Nang, Penang, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Osaka Kansai, and Tokyo Narita. In January, it expects to start flights to Kuala Lumpur Int’l followed by Ho Chi Minh City a month later, Cebu in March, and Okinawa Naha to follow at some point later in 2021. Fleetwise, it is expecting a further nine A321neo, eight A330-900s, ten A350-900s, and eight A350-1000s to deliver direct from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) over the coming years.