SINGAPORE—Taiwanese carrier Starlux Airlines has ordered more Airbus A330neos to boost its passenger fleet, and has also signed a deal for A350Fs to launch a freighter operation.
The orders announced at the Singapore Airshow on Feb. 21 include three A330neos and five A350Fs. The A330neos are expected to be delivered in 2025-2026, with the freighters due later. The A350F is still in development.
The airline currently has four A330neos, four A350-900s and 13 A321neos, with another eight A350s on order.
Starlux Chairman Chang Kuo-wei said the A330neos are primarily for intra-Pacific flying, on routes from major capitals to Taipei. This boosts the strategy of using Taipei as an international connecting hub, linking Asia to the North American market.
Similarly, introducing a freighter fleet allows Starlux to capitalize on the advantageous geographical position of Taiwan which makes it a good cargo transit hub, Chang said. The carrier believes it can tap into the lucrative market for IT products moving from China and other Asian markets to North America.
Starlux currently serves Los Angeles and San Francisco in the U.S. market, and intends to open a route to Seattle in the middle of the year, Chang said. The airline is also intending to join one of the major global alliances.
The airline is considering adding 5-6 more Airbus narrowbodies to its fleet, Chang said.
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