Taipei, Aug. 23 (CNA) This is the first time in 12 years that the Cross-Strait Taipei Travel Fair will not take place in conjunction with the annual Taipei International Travel Fair due to planning delays, according to the Taiwan Visitors Association (TVA) on Monday.

Since 2006, the Taipei International Travel Fair, which takes place from Oct. 27-30 this year, has designated a section of the trade show the “Cross-Strait Taipei Travel Fair.”

However, TVA Secretary General Wu Chao-yen (吳朝彥) explained to the press that a delay in scheduling and planning has made such an arrangement impossible this year.

The association sent an invitation to China in February or March, he noted, but the first joint planning meeting was not held until July. Even then, the two sides had been unable to reach consensus on the fair by mid-August, at which point it was decided there was insufficient time to meet the October deadline.

Wu mentioned that despite the absence of the Cross-Strait Taipei Travel Fair this year, the association will continue to work with China so cross-strait events will still be a feature of future fairs.

The four-day Taipei International Travel Fair, which in 2016 attracted 950 exhibitors from more than 60 countries, is expected to attract a similar number of participants, according to the TVA.

(By Chen Wei-ting and Kuan-lin Liu)
Enditem/AW

The airline, subsidiary of Taiwan’s flag carrier China Airlines, becomes a new ATR operator and will mainly reinforce and expand regional connectivity across the island

Toulouse, July 19, 2017 – ATR and Taiwan’s Mandarin Airlines, a regional subsidiary of Taiwan’s flag carrier China Airlines, today signed a contract for the purchase of six ATR 72-600s, valued at some US$ 160 million.

With the acquisition of these brand new ATR -600s, Mandarin Airlines becomes a new member of the ATR family. The aircraft will operate within Taiwan’s domestic network, featuring the highest standards of passenger comfort and the most advanced technologies. With its new fleet of ATR 72-600s, Mandarin Airlines will benefit from the lowest operating costs among all 70-seat regional aircraft, and will be able to compete in a highly challenging market with cutting-edge and affordable air services.

Besides the contract signing, ATR is also willing to provide engineering and technical support to China Airlines and its subsidiaries to set-up in-house capabilities for ATR heavy maintenance, up to C-checks.

Commenting on this deal, Christian Scherer, Chief Executive Officer of ATR, declared: “We are honored by the decision of China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines, who have conducted a very thorough and comprehensive evaluation of alternatives for their regional network in Taiwan. The outcome proves once again that when assessed competitively, the ATR 72-600 logically prevails in the eyes of the most discerning airlines. We look forward to our partnership with Mandarin, and to supporting a stellar operation.”

About the ATR 72-600:
Passenger capacity: 68-78 seats
Engines: Pratt & Whitney 127M
Maximum power at take-off: 2,750 horse power per engine
Maximum weight at take-off: 23,000 Kg
Maximum load: 7,500 Kg
Maximum range with full passenger load: 900 nautical miles (1,665 Km)

About Mandarin Airlines:
Mandarin Airlines was established on June 1991, and was initially a joint venture by China Airlines (67%) and Koos Group (33%). The establishment of Mandarin Airlines is closely related to the unique status of Taiwan. At the time, Mandarin Airlines’ parent company, China Airlines, still served as the flag carrier of the Republic of China. Today, China Airlines is the flag carrier of Taiwan, and owns 93.99% of Mandarin Airlines.

About ATR:
Founded in 1981, ATR is the world leader in the market for below-90-seat regional aircraft. Since its creation, ATR has sold over 1,500 aircraft. ATR aircraft equip the fleets of some 200 airlines in nearly 100 countries. ATR is an equal partnership between two major European aeronautics players, Airbus and Leonardo. Based in Toulouse, France, ATR is well established worldwide with a large customer support and sales network, including Customer Service Centers, training centers and warehouses. For more information, please visit http://www.atr-aircraft.com