China Airlines Adjusts Capacity to Combat High Fuel Prices, Prioritizing Japan, Korea, and Oceania Routes

According to CNA, China Airlines (CAL) achieved record-high performance last year and continues to see strong passenger and cargo demand. President Chen Han-ming stated that to address the volatility of high fuel prices, the company will flexibly adjust its capacity and route configuration for the second half of the year, prioritizing 'rigid demand' markets such as Japan, Korea, and Oceania. He emphasized that the Japan route, in particular, has 'almost no off-season,' and the company is striving to ensure that high fuel costs do not negate their efforts this year. CAL held its annual shareholders' meeting today, approving the 2025 business report and financial statements, and declaring a cash dividend of NT$0.82 per share. Last year, the company's consolidated revenue reached NT$209.139 billion, with a net profit of NT$14.7 billion and an EPS of NT$2.42, all record highs. In the passenger sector, CAL leveraged its Taiwan hub to connect North America, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Europe. In the cargo sector, demand for AI servers and semiconductors drove market momentum. Chairman Kao Shing-hwang noted that this year marks CAL's 66th anniversary, and the company is actively upgrading its fleet. 21 A321neo aircraft have been delivered, with the full fleet of 30 expected by next year. The 787 fleet will also be deployed. Chen added that they are planning to increase flights, particularly night flights to Osaka, to capture market demand following the 70% reduction in flights from China to Japan.