China Airlines Chairman Ho Nuan-hsuan (何煖軒) said that the company decided to launch the service between Taoyuan and Ontario, Californian because Los Angeles International Airport is too busy. With the opening of the new route, those traveling to California by China Airlines can choose to continue flying into Los Angeles International Airport or fly to Ontario International Airport instead to save approximately three hours on travel, immigration and luggage pickup time, Ho said.
More than 80 percent of respondents in a market survey on the proposed Ontario route conducted by China Airlines also supported the new route option as the Ontario airport is more convenient for travelers living on the east side of Greater Los Angeles, China Airlines said.
The airline also said the market response has been enthusiastic about the new Taoyuan-Ontario CA route, and Saturday’s trial operation flight from Ontario, CA to Taoyuan was fully loaded. The airline originally planned to operate four flights a week for the route, but now it has decided to operate one flight daily, according to media reports.
China Airlines will use Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to operate the new route, and the flight from Taoyuan to Ontario, CA (Flight CI-24) will leave at 4:10 p.m. and arrive at Ontario at 1:20 p.m. local time, while the return flight (CI-23) will leave Ontario at 3:45 p.m. and arrive at Taoyuan at 8:55 p.m., according to media reports.
China Airlines will become the first Asian airline to operate regular flights to ONT.