TAIWAN- The flag carriers, China Airlines (SkyTeam) and EVA Air (Star Alliance), face increasing competition from the rapidly growing upstart, Starlux Airlines (JX).
These airlines currently connect U.S. passengers from the West Coast through Taipei to destinations like Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, and Japan. They are adding routes this summer to Hong Kong and Jakarta.
Starlux Oneworld Alliance
In Los Angeles, they compete with three daily EVA Air flights and a daily China Airlines flight. In San Francisco, they contend with double-daily EVA Air flights, double-daily United flights, and a daily China Airlines flight.
Seattle (starting August 16) will compete with 10 weekly EVA Air flights, daily Delta service, and five-times-weekly China Airlines flights.
The market is crowded, and having only Alaska as a U.S. connectivity partner is limiting for Starlux. Taiwanese media reports that Starlux is looking to join the oneworld alliance, which would strengthen its position against its larger Taiwanese long-haul rivals.
Partnership with Alaska Airlines
Starlux already partners with oneworld member Alaska Airlines (AS) but needs to expand its connectivity, reported ViewfromtheWing.
Starlux’s extended Japanese network would benefit from a partnership with Japan Airlines (JL), and their U.S. operations would be bolstered by working with American Airlines (AA), especially if they aim to expand beyond the West Coast.
Although American don’t currently fly to Taipei, they would gain from connecting passengers brought to the U.S. by Starlux. This partnership could eventually support the introduction of a Dallas-Taipei route once American starts receiving delayed Boeing 787-9s.
Another Asian partner could be valuable for oneworld, particularly if Air China takes control of Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific and moves it to Star Alliance.
oneworld is already weak in Asia, with Japan Airlines offering limited connections throughout Asia and Malaysia Airlines and Sri Lankan having limited reach.
Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines has an intriguing backstory. It was founded by the former Chairman of EVA Air, a Star Alliance carrier, who was ousted following his father’s death due to a family dispute over the estate. He was the son of the founder’s second wife and was pushed out by the children from the founder’s first marriage.
His removal was particularly humiliating. As a pilot, he had flown an EVA Air flight to Singapore but was not even permitted to pilot the return flight after being ousted.
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