By Wikipedia TAIPEI, Taiwan — A spokesman for Taiwan's China Airlines said on Saturday that a flight from the Taiwanese capital of Taipei to the Chinese city of…
China Airlines, Limited is the flag carrier of the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan and not to be confused with People's Republic of China, commonly known as "Mainland China"). The airline is not directly state-owned but is 54% owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation (中華航空事業發展基金會) which is owned by the Republic of China. Unlike other state-owned companies in the Republic of China, the chairperson of China Airlines does not report to the Legislative Yuan. The airline, based at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and with headquarters in Taipei (the headquarters will move to Dayuan Township on March 26, 2010), flies to destinations in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. The airline started scheduled chartered flights between Taiwan and mainland China on July, 2008. Most flights serving this market are concentrated at Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Beijing. China Airlines has operated the Hong Kong route since 1967 which is the airline's most profitable market, generating 13.3% of its NT$121.9 billion (US$ 3.7 billion) revenue in 2006 with over 140 flights flown a week between Taipei, Kaohsiung and Hong Kong. The airline's main competitor is EVA Air. China Airlines is expected to become a full member of SkyTeam. Talks between the airline and the alliance started in 2007.
