CAL and Japan Airlines expand strategic partnership

Taiwan’s main carrier China Airlines and Japan Airlines agreed recently to strengthen cargo and passenger cooperation.

The two signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand their strategic cooperation on the field of cargo and passenger, CAL said.

Due to the popularity of Japan as a travel destination among Taiwanese, as a first step, Japan Airlines and CAL have agreed to strengthen the current cooperation by expanding the code-sharing agreement to cover all routes operated by both airlines between Taiwan and Japan from the second half of February.

The total number of code-share flights will expand from 28 weekly flights on the Songshan-Haneda route to 240 flights a week (the numbers varies depending on the seasonal schedule), CAL said

“This will provide our customers with better access between Taiwan and Japan and encourage more Japanese visitors to travel to Taiwan, as well as providing Taiwanese travelers with more options to choose from,” it noted.

Separately, CAL also signed a memorandum of understanding with Europe’s Airbus to upgrade its aircraft maintenance capability in Taiwan.

CAL Chairman Ho Nuan-hsuan and Airbus Executive Vice President Asia Jean-Francois Laval represented the two company in signing the agreement at CAL maintenance facility in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan along with transport minister Fan Chih-ku and Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan, CAL said in a press statement.

Under the initial agreement, Airbus will provide CAL with support in the development of the airline’s maintenance, engineering and technical training capabilities in Taiwan, it said.

In the future, the two companies will work together to strengthen the carrier’s maintenance capabilities for all Airbus aircraft types operated by CAL including the A350 XWB, A320, and A330/A340 families, CAL said, adding the companies will also jointly evaluate different technical and business solutions.