Starlux is planning to expand the capacity of its all-Airbus fleet from 12 to 19 by the year-end to take advantage of the rise in travel demand, the airline said. Starlux plans to add another five aircraft by the end of 2023 targeting international routes and cargo business. Glenn Chai, CEO of Starlux, revealed the expansion plans at an investors’ meeting prior to its listing on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. By the end of 2022, the airline will have a fleet of 13 Airbus A321-200neos, four A330-900neos, and two A350 aircraft.
“Interestingly the airline also plans to add the ATRs to cater to domestic passenger traffic,” Chai said. As the ATRs are not immediately available, and due to a shortage of skilled labor, the ATRs will be incorporated by the end of 2023. With the addition of ATR, the airline will be competing with China Airlines’ Mandarin Airlines and EVA Air’s Uni Air which both operate ATR 72s within Taiwan.
Positive about the airline’s future, Chai said: “Starlux has reached 70% of its pre-COVID capacity in June 2022. By the end of the year, as the passenger capacity is expected to double, we have plans to increase the capacity by 100%.”
Starlux is expected to take delivery of the first A350-900 by October 2022 followed by the second before the end of the year, two more in 2023, four in 2024, and the balance by the end of 2027. The airline plans to use the A350s on flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco in April next year and the second half of 2023, respectively. The airline "is eyeing the transit market in North America and Southeast Asia targeting the one billion transit passengers who transfer from North America to Southeast Asia,” Chai said
Starlux is planning to launch new flights to Okinawa and Sapporo in Japan and resume flights to Da Nang in Vietnam adding the total destination to thirteen. “Starlux aims to triple its capacity from a year earlier and double the number of flights in the fourth quarter compared to the third quarter this year,” Chai added.