Half-day tours in the air being offered by Taiwanese airlines have been quickly sold out as people unable to travel overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic seek other ways to satisfy their wanderlust.
Airlines are capitalizing on that by offering flights out of Taoyuan International Airport that fly over Taiwan or toward neighboring countries before landing back at the same airport, and consumers are snapping up the tickets.
Local startup carrier StarLux Airlines said all 188 slots for a flight piloted by its chairman, Chang Kuo-wei, were sold out within five minutes after going on sale Tuesday. The Aug. 7 flight will head south along Taiwan's east coast and down to near the Philippines before returning on the same route, the carrier said.
EVA Airways (EVA Air) also sold out all 309 seats on a special A330-300 Father's Day flight after they went on sale last week.
The Aug. 8 flight will cross northeastern Taiwan and head close to the Ryukyu Islands in Japan before heading south along Taiwan's east coast. Once it reaches Taiwan's southern tip, it will then turn around and fly back to the Taoyuan airport.
China Airlines (CAL) also sold out tickets on July 30 for special flights on Aug. 8 and Aug. 15 targeting children aged 6-10 and their parents.
Budget airline Tigerair Taiwan, a CAL subsidiary, put up 90 tickets for sale on July 28 for a four-hour flight on Aug. 6, and they were gone in 20 minutes.
According to the airport, it is currently handling about 2,000 passengers a day, compared with an average of about 131,500 a day in 2019. (By CNA)
No comments:
Post a Comment