Written by Staff Writer
For many aviation observers, the news that Taiwan’s first nationwide commercial airline, Lianghan Airlines, was preparing to relaunch the route between New Taipei City and Melbourne in 2017 was cause for celebration.
The line closed in 2000, as part of Taiwanese airline Star China’s decision to reduce capacity in the wake of the global downturn.
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The original Lianghan Airlines started trading in 1956 and carried mainly Chinese tourists to Melbourne in Australia.
Armed with Boeing 727s and Boeing 747s, it made Melbourne its primary hub in the 1960s.
The airline was later reborn as Star China in the 1970s, operating a total of almost 300 daily flights within China and across Asia.
However, in the late 1980s, its managing director, Huang Zhengqing, developed ill health and died.
Huang’s children then acquired the airline and launched an unsuccessful bid to merge with Star China, but as a result, they were forced to close it down again in 1999.
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The path of a new airline entrepreneur who wants to bring Asian destinations such as Singapore, Vietnam and Korea to the people of Melbourne – as well as traditional mainland European aviation routes to the big cities of Taiwan – looks set to be similar to one taken by Taiwanese startup Tianshan Airlines more than ten years ago.
Originally branded as Asia World Airlines, the Japanese-owned carrier was relaunched by Taiwanese tycoon Kai Huiping in 2004.
In the same year, when political relations with Taiwan began warming, Tianshan Airlines doubled its trans-Pacific passenger capacity between two countries, and expanded its activities in the domestic Taiwanese market.
Although the new airline scheduled its first domestic flights in 2005, Lin Ming-liang, founder of Lianghan Airlines, says the timing of his new airline’s relaunch could not be more opportune.
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“So far, the (return of) the Lianghan Airlines route is the most anticipated flight of all,” Lin told CTV. “In tourism marketing, Singapore, Vietnam and Korea are key markets to Australia. In addition, our hopes and aspirations are also to introduce the Hong Kong-Macau-Taiwan route.”
Lianghan Airlines will be in good company.
Back in April, KLM announced it would start flights between Sydney and Amsterdam by summer this year.
“In order to provide KLM with an attractive business case, Australia is one of the major transportation hubs in the Asia-Pacific region,” the airline’s CEO, Frans Van Houten, said in a statement .
“It will also complement our existing service to Europe and Australia, as we will be able to consolidate KLM’s position in Australia and Asia.”