China Airlines Ends 'This Mainland Route' Despite 98% Load Factor, Reducing Flight Options from Southern Taiwan to China

Will there be one fewer direct flight route from Taiwan to mainland China? According to reports, China Airlines has removed its scheduled direct flight from Kaohsiung to Chongqing, China, from its timetable effective July 30, 2024.

Statistics from the Civil Aeronautics Administration show that this route achieved a 97.8% load factor from January to June 2024, making it the highest among the 33 international and cross-strait routes operated from Kaohsiung International Airport.

According to global aviation route information website 'AeroRoutes,' China Airlines adjusted its flight schedule for the second half of 2024. As part of this adjustment, the Kaohsiung-to-Hong Kong route was reduced from 14 to 10 weekly flights, and the direct Kaohsiung-to-Chongqing service was removed from the schedule by the end of July.

In the first half of 2026, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport handled over 1.48 million inbound and outbound passengers, a 39.5% increase compared to the same period last year, indicating rapid growth in passenger traffic. (Xinhua News Agency)

For direct flights to Chongqing, China Airlines was the sole Taiwanese carrier operating the route. In early 2020, due to the global outbreak of COVID-19, Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center announced preventive measures on February 7, 2020, restricting cross-strait air passenger services starting February 10, 2020. Direct passenger flights to mainland China were limited to only five destinations: Beijing Capital, Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Xiamen Gaoqi, and Chengdu Shuangliu. All other cross-strait direct flight points, including Chongqing, were suspended.

After the pandemic, cross-strait air routes have slowly recovered. Besides China Airlines’ direct Kaohsiung-to-Chongqing service, only mainland Chinese carriers operate direct flights between Taiwan and Chongqing. These include Air China’s Taoyuan-to-Chongqing route and Sichuan Airlines’ Songshan-to-Chongqing route. However, it now appears that China Airlines’ Kaohsiung-to-Chongqing route will temporarily cease operations.

Among the 33 international and cross-strait destinations served by Kaohsiung International Airport, the Chongqing route had the highest load factor at 97.8%. (Central News Agency)

China Airlines’ Kaohsiung-to-Chongqing route ranked first with a 97.8% load factor.

According to data from Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation Administration, from January to June 2024, the Kaohsiung-to-Chongqing route operated 50 flights, offering a total of 7,900 seats and carrying 7,730 passengers, resulting in an overall load factor of 97.8%—the highest among all 33 international and cross-strait routes from Kaohsiung International Airport.

An alternative direct flight option to Chongqing will launch on October 28.

Although China Airlines’ direct Kaohsiung-to-Chongqing service is temporarily suspended, a replacement option will begin at the end of October. 'AeroRoutes' indicates that China Airlines plans to resume direct flights between Taoyuan and Chongqing starting October 28, 2024, with one round-trip flight each on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The aircraft type will be the Airbus A321neo.

Since the start of the summer vacation in 2024, cross-strait direct flights have surged, with mainland Chinese airlines launching or resuming four new routes. With China Airlines’ resumption of the Taoyuan-to-Chongqing route, this will become the fifth newly launched or resumed cross-strait direct flight since summer 2024.

Latest Overview of Resumed and Newly Launched Cross-Strait Routes:

- Airline: China Eastern Airlines | Route (Origin ↔ Destination): Taichung ↔ Chengdu | Launch/Resumption Date: July 1 | Frequency: Weekly on Wednesdays and Sundays - Airline: Shandong Airlines | Route (Origin ↔ Destination): Taichung ↔ Qingdao | Launch/Resumption Date: July 23 | Frequency: Weekly on Thursdays - Airline: Spring Airlines | Route (Origin ↔ Destination): Kaohsiung ↔ Ningbo | Launch/Resumption Date: July 4 | Frequency: Weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays - Airline: Loong Air | Route (Origin ↔ Destination): Taichung ↔ Chengdu Tianfu | Launch/Resumption Date: July 28 | Frequency: Weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays - Airline: China Airlines | Route (Origin ↔ Destination): Taipei Taoyuan ↔ Chongqing Jiangbei | Launch/Resumption Date: October 28 | Frequency: Weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays

※ For actual departure times and flight schedule changes, please refer to the official websites of the respective airlines for the latest announcements.