China Airlines Airbus A321neo Conducts Maiden Flight Between Taiwan & Hong Kong
On March 27th, the all-new Airbus A321neo aircraft for China Airlines made its spectacular debut on its maiden flight from Taoyuan, Taiwan to Hong Kong. Upon receiving a water salute from the fire engines, flight CI 909 took off from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 10:24 am. The flight is scheduled for two daily passenger or cargo-only return flights before the airline allows for the fleet to be progressively dispatched to other destinations.
To celebrate the new aircraft's introduction into commercial service, China Airlines prepared an aromatherapy gift pack that included a hand wash, lotion, and light perfume for passengers on the first return flight back to Taiwan. And for additional peace of mind, the same passengers were also given an in-flight protection pack containing a face mask and alcohol wipes during the flight.
The Airbus A321neo passenger aircraft will be the main feature on regional routes for the Taoyuan-based carrier and is configured for 180 seats including 12 in Premium Business Class and 168 in economy. The spacious and comfortable cabins are designed for contactless service and enhanced epidemic prevention.
Business travelers and tourists flying on this route will be welcomed by brand-new cabin facilities. This includes fully reclinable seats in Premium Business Class, with the latest in-flight entertainment system and also state-of-the-art seatback displays.
Before starting on regularly scheduled light services though, this particular Airbus A321neo will be scheduled to other destinations such as Manila, Palau, and Yangon. And then, starting from May 4th, the Airbus A321neo will be scheduled to operate on the prime Songshan-Tokyo (Haneda) route with services set for every Wednesday and Saturday.
Small, but green and mighty
The neo promises to be 15 to 20% more fuel-efficient than the previous generation of narrowbody aircraft. Its noise footprint and harmful emissions are already 75% smaller and 50% lower respectively. What's more, China Airlines has specifically arranged for the new Airbus A321neo aircraft to operate using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on the ferry flight back to Taiwan, as this helps to further reduce emissions by another hefty 8%.
These tangible improvements in fuel efficiency represent the airline's commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, reducing its greenhouse gas emissions as well as protecting the environment.
And that's not all, as the Airbus A321neo was also chosen for its high capacity and extreme versatility in its cargo handling system, which allows for China Airlines to better focus on the current demand levels for air cargo. This means that whenever the aircraft is not being utilized for commercial passenger services, the airline can opt to have it used for cargo-only flights to better optimize profit returns - a general win-win situation for the carrier.
Possible new entries
The Skyteam member airline has 25 of the aircraft type in Airbus' order books to improve on its efforts to become a much more environmentally-friendly airline. Three have already been received and will soon be progressively introduced into service. Another seven more are expected to be delivered this year.
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