STARLUX Airlines Inaugurates Airbus A350 Service Between Taipei & Ontario

On Monday, 2nd June, STARLUX Airlines formally launched its new route between Ontario, California, and Taipei, Taiwan. It was a lovely and sunny afternoon in Southern California when the luxury airline, flying one of its flagship Airbus A350-900 aircraft, made its landing.

An alternative to the crowded Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which is roughly 35 miles distant, is Ontario International Airport  (ONT), one of five airports serving the Los Angeles basin. With the launch of the new service, STARLUX has expanded to four US locations, marking a significant milestone in its growth. 

About STARLUX Airlines

Taipei-based airline company STARLUX is an outstanding airline operating 24 flights around Asia, including stops at the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Macau, and Thailand. STARLUX provides every traveler with the best possible comfort and services to ensure a fantastic trip. STARLUX provides smooth connections via Taipei with four U.S. routes: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Ontario, bridging Asia and North America. For transpacific passengers, these planes offer easy access and first-rate service. Three highly efficient new-generation Airbus models—the A321neo, A330neo, and A350-900—comprise the STARLUX fleet, providing the best and most environmentally friendly travel experiences. Look at more intricacies behind “STARLUX Airlines Inaugurates Airbus A350 Service Between Taipei & Ontario”.

Almost 12 Hours to Southern California

The flight, JX10, took off on Monday, 2nd of June, shortly after 20:30 local time from Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE). At 39,000 feet over the Pacific, it spent most of its 11-hour, 40-minute flight before landing on runway 26R shortly before 17:00. After receiving a water cannon salute as it taxied off the runway, the plane entered ONT’s west parking area and disembarked.

Chang Kuo-wei, the chairman of STARLUX, piloted the first aircraft to ONT, a first for the airline.

Opening Ceremonies at Ontario International Airport

Following the arrival of service JX10, STARLUX Airlines held a joyous launch event at Ontario International Airport to mark the first Taipei–Ontario service. The ceremony, which marked the start of a bright new chapter in STARLUX’s U.S. expansion, included a live string duet, refreshments, a symbolic gift exchange of a commemorative airplane model, ribbon cutting, and cake cutting.

The occasion featured a prominent panel of speakers who emphasized the importance of the new route in enhancing Taiwan-South California aviation, economic, and cultural connections. STARLUX Airlines Chief Passenger Commercial Officer Walter Liang, Amino Chi, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Los Angeles, Atif Elkadi, CEO of Ontario International Airport, and Benjamin Brookman, Managing Director, Airport Real Estate at Alaska Airlines, all made remarks.

They united in their dedication to offering passengers improved connectivity, first-rate service, and more chances for cross-Pacific interaction.

Strengthening Alaska Airlines’ Partnership

China Airlines, which has been using the Boeing 777-300ER & STARLUX Airbus A350-900 on the same route since 2018, now has STARLUX on board. Arriving aircraft must park far from the terminal building for security and customs clearance purposes. Consequently, instead of using the conventional jetbridge, passengers disembark via airstairs.

Ground staff clean the plane, clear the passengers, and tow it to the terminal for the next trip to Taiwan. STARLUX will be based at ONT’s Terminal 4, which mainly serves American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, two members of the Oneworld Alliance, in contrast to China Airlines. At the nearby Terminal 2, Alaska Airlines, another Oneworld partner, is in operation. STARLUX entered into a codeshare agreement with the two carriers to further develop its North America network last fall.

Details of the Flight and What’s Onboard

Four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, STARLUX will run TPE-ONT. JX9, the return flight, is expected to depart ONT shortly after 23:00 and reach TPE at approximately 04:15 two days later.

Days of operations and flight timings are subject to change.

The airline can carry 302 passengers in four classes on its A350-900 aircraft. With only four lie-flat seats at the very front of the cabin, first class is the most upscale and privileged class. Business Class, which has 26 lie-flat chairs, comes next. The economy cabin includes 240 seats arranged in a 3-3-3 pattern, while the premium economy cabin offers 36 roomy reclining seats arranged in a 2-4-2 layout.

Passengers will see branding displays with a digital representation of a bouquet of flowers as they board the aircraft. The passenger experience is improved by the various mood lighting colors used throughout the entire cabin. In order to keep passengers occupied during their lengthy voyage, each seat has a huge screen.

Wrapping Up

Starlux Airlines is excited to debut its newest route to Ontario International Airport from Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan. It seeks to establish a presence in the competitive Taiwan-West Coast market. In any travel class, passengers who opt to take the new service will surely enjoy Starlux Airlines‘ renowned onboard service.

In order to provide more prospects for cooperation and connections, many will also be urging Starlux Airlines to join one of the three main alliances in the sector—Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and Oneworld. The airline is currently among the few full-service airlines worldwide that do not belong to an alliance. All in all, this blog sums up all the details on the “STARLUX Airlines Inaugurates Airbus A350 Service Between Taipei & Ontario” highlight. 

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