Taiwan Lux Startup Launches Taipei-to-Ho Chi Minh City Route
STARLUX Airlines will use large Airbus carriers to establish footprint in Asia, and eventually U.S.
As the world gets traveling again, STARLUX, a Taiwanese startup airline, decided May was the right time to launch a brand-new route between Taipei, Taiwan and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — one with three round-trip flights per week.
The service’s mid-May debut follows the airline’s inauguration in January of flights from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) to the North- and Southeast Asian destinations of Macau, China; Da Nang, Vietnam; and Penang, Malaysia.
From is its Taipei hub, STARLUX will initially fly routes in Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. Later, it will develop its trans-oceanic routes to North America. In addition to its routes to and from Ho Chi Minh city, Macau, Penang, and Da Nang, there is service to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Tokyo and Osaka. Service to Los Angeles is expected to start in 2022 or 2023.
The airline will be introducing large numbers of new Airbus passenger aircraft, including 13 A321neos (four are in place); eight A330-900s; ten A350-900s and eight A350-1000s. STARLUX founder K.W. Chang, a certified pilot and former chairman of EVA Airways, established STARLUX in May, 2018.
The airline is aiming to take its place among more established luxury/boutique carriers emphasizing premium comfort and safety services for passengers. For example, A321-neo business class passengers enjoy seats that fully transform into an 82-inch flat bed. Economy class passengers on the same craft command their own personal entertainment system–the first ever on a narrow-body aircraft out of Taiwan. STARLUX also came up with a signature cabin fragrance designed to calm passengers while aboard.
The airline has equally perfected getting the word out about such achievements. Since its inception, it’s received several brand and communications honors. For its uniform collection, for example, it got the Best New Uniform Award, 2019 from the renowned airline design media firm DesignAir. For its part, STARLUX’s inflight meal and wine menu received the 2020 Red Dot Award in the category of best brand communication and design program.
