Cross-Strait Summer Travel Boom! Loong Air Launches Direct Taichung-Chengdu Route on July 28

According to global aviation route information website 'AeroRoutes,' Loong Air will commence flights between Taichung and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport starting July 28, 2023. This follows China Eastern Airlines' resumption of the Taichung-Chengdu route on July 1, marking another mainland Chinese carrier entering the market. This move highlights the mainland tourism industry's confidence in central Taiwan's consumer potential, with Taichung Airport drawing significant attention this summer travel season.

With the peak summer travel period underway, cross-strait direct flights are showing signs of recovery. Mainland Chinese airlines have already launched or resumed four cross-strait routes this year:

1. China Eastern Airlines resumed Taichung to Chengdu flights on July 1, operating every Wednesday and Sunday. 2. Shandong Airlines resumed Taichung to Qingdao flights on July 23, operating every Thursday. 3. Spring Airlines launched a new route from Kaohsiung to Ningbo on July 4, operating every Tuesday and Saturday. 4. The latest development: Loong Air will launch a new route from Taichung to Chengdu Tianfu International Airport on July 28, operating every Tuesday and Saturday.

Loong Air, established in 2011, is Zhejiang Province's only locally based private airline, headquartered at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. The airline primarily operates domestic routes within mainland China and offers full-service amenities, including free baggage allowance and in-flight meals, distinguishing it from low-cost carriers.

Loong Air's fleet is primarily composed of Airbus A320 series aircraft. It is understood that the A320 will also be deployed on the new Taichung-Chengdu route.

Sichuan Province, known as the hometown of giant pandas, holds a special place in the hearts of Taiwanese people (Xinhua News Agency). Despite ongoing political tensions, cross-strait direct flights are clearly rebounding, with mainland airlines actively launching and resuming services to Taichung and Kaohsiung. This development caters to the tourism needs of central and southern Taiwan residents, eliminating the need for them to travel north to Taoyuan or Taipei Songshan airports.

Upon arrival in Chengdu, travelers can connect to renowned western China destinations such as Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong Scenic Areas. Sichuan, also famous for its spicy hot pot cuisine, offers attractions and cultural experiences well-known and appealing to Taiwanese tourists.