China Airlines' (CAL) future membership in the Skyteam airline alliance is poised to strengthen the Greater China bloc made up of China Southern and prospective member China Eastern (see news).
Taiwan’s flag carrier announced today that it would start the joining procedures, which are expected to be completed by mid-2011.
CAL will be the third Chinese and fifth Asian airline in SkyTeam, a group that includes Skyteam co-founder Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines, China Southern and China Eastern. Its network will complement those of the two Mainland carriers and Greater China and further strengthen the alliance's presence in one of the world's economic powerhouse areas.
CAL will be adding four new destinations to the group's network: Okinawa, Miyazaki, Surabaya and Palau.
Philip Wei, CAL chairman, said that being a part of Skyteam would, not only enable customers access to its expansive network, but also raise the airline’s facilities and standards.
For more information, visit www.china-airlines.com
Alisha Haridasani
