[photopress:Sichaun_Airlines_1.jpg,full,alignright]Sichuan Airlines, a mid-sized Chinese carrier, is in talks with Taiwan’s TransAsia Airways to set up a joint venture airline. Which is, perhaps, yet another sign of the move towards a normalization of relationships between the Mainland and Taiwan.
A spokeswoman said, ‘We have been in discussions with TransAsia to form a joint venture.’ She added that details of the proposed partnership had yet to be finalized.’
Sichuan Airlines, partly owned by China Southern Airlines, according to it web site operates more than 130 routes, almost entirely within China, with a fleet of 40 aircraft.
TransAsia Airways is an airline based in Taiwan. It mainly serves the domestic market but also has limited scheduled international services to Macau and South Korea and charter services to some holiday destinations.
TransAsia was formed in 1951 as one of the first private civil airline in Taiwan, flying the Taipei – Hualien – Taitung – Kaohsiung route. It also served as local agent of foreign airlines and provided airport ground handling services for foreign airlines.
Air services ceased in 1958 when the management of the airline decided to concentrate their attention on their agency businesses. It established its airline meal catering services in the same year.
Domestic flights were resumed in 1988, after an absence in the market for 30 years. First scheduled international services started in 1995 to Macau and Surabaya.
Source: Reuters and research.