FIRST CI'S SPECIAL LIVERY AIRCRAFT TO PROMOTE TAIWAN TOURISM
August 25, 2003, Taipei, Taiwan
For the purpose of promoting inbound tourism to Taiwan, China Airlines, the largest air carrier in Taiwan, has been painting a Boeing 747-400 jet with the design originated from the theme of "Taiwan Touch Your Heart". The painting job was started on August 23 and is scheduled to finish on September 3. An unveiling ceremony will be held by China Airlines and Taiwan Tourism Bureau on September 5.
This is the first time in its more than 40 years of history that China Airlines initiated to paint an aircraft with special livery for promotional purposes. The carrier is also honored to be on Taiwan tourism¡¦s behalf to welcome tourists from all of the world.
The Tourism Bureau has announced 2004 as ¡§Visit Taiwan Year¡¨ in order to attract the attention of international tourists. As the market leader in Taiwan¡¦s airline industry, China Airlines has always worked to promote tourism to Taiwan. The aircraft painting will help to promote the upcoming ¡§Visit Taiwan Year¡¨ campaign.
Due to the threat of SARS, the tourism industry in Asian countries experienced unprecedented slowdown. The number of foreign tourists visiting Taiwan has fallen sharply in the second quarter of this year. Currently, outbound tourism has resumed its former level, but traditional inbound markets such as Japan and Hong Kong remain weak. The China Airlines¡¦ ¡§Taiwan Touch Your Heart¡¨ aircraft works as a moving symbol to promote Taiwan inbound tourism. A series of promotional activities from September will be launched overseas with the Tourism Bureau to attract more inbound tourists.
Renowned for its high-quality service from the ground to the air, China Airlines will bring the Taiwanese hospitality to the world with the newly painted aircraft.
China Airlines operates a fleet of 57 aircraft, including 42 passenger jets and 15 freighters, and flies to 43 destinations in 20 countries. The average age of its fleet is just 5.9 years.
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BN747 From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 5289 posts, RR: 52 Reply 3, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 4615 times:
It's not Air Pacific....but it does brighten things up a bit...glad to see it's ship B-18209 a regular visitor to LAX.
BN747
"Home of the Brave, made by the Slaves..Land of the Free, if you look like me.." T. Jefferson
9V-SPK From Hong Kong, joined Aug 2001, 1646 posts, RR: 6 Reply 4, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 4516 times:
Actually the livery will be removed ASAP due to, political reasons. The plane will never fly in such a livery and will be painted back in the normal livery.
The word "Taiwan" on the plane is the reason for the removal. how sad......
Airbus Lover From Malaysia, joined Apr 2000, 3248 posts, RR: 10 Reply 5, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 4458 times:
It is very sad to learn that politic has to be in the way for many aviation-related developments.
However, can someone enlighten me about this? Why can't Taiwan fly a plane with the word Taiwan on it? Because they are still not officially independent yet?
And is Beijing fond of the idea of CHINA Airlines? I would think that confuses a lot of people with China Airlines being the national flag carrier of The People's Republic of China as opposed to the Republic of China as I assume Air China before the recent merger was a much smaller airline with not as much intercontinental services?
Trex8 From United States of America, joined Nov 2002, 3970 posts, RR: 14 Reply 6, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 4351 times:
A "Taiwan" carrier could fly with Taiwan on it, just CAL can't because they are CAL!
The politics is ridiculous but that's the legacy of a half century civil war with the winner not having actually gotten rid of the loser completely. Moral of the story, in any civil war kick the other side when they are down until they are in the dust for perpetuity! Legally, even by their own constitution in Taiwan, Taiwan is still no more than a province in the "Republic of China" which dates from 1912.
CALs old livery used to have the ROC flag, it was removed again for political reasons with the new one. Same silly logic resulted in airlines like Japan Asia and all the various subsidiaries of Qantas and other European airlines set up specifically to fly to Taiwan! Or CAL using Haneda for its Tokyo flights till recently! Or the establishment of Mandarin by CAL to fly to Canada and Aus/NZ. Beijing for years refused to let foreign airlines who flew to Taiwan to also fly to mainland China or to have PRC planes at the same airport as Taiwan planes!
Since CAL dates from the late 50s and the only airlines in mainland China were all part of CAAC which only split up a decade ago into all the Chinese airlines we now know, PRC has no proprietary rights to the China Airlines name.
BN747 From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 5289 posts, RR: 52 Reply 8, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 4289 times:
Trex8 wrote:
The politics is ridiculous but that's the legacy of a half century civil war with the winner not having actually gotten rid of the loser completely. Moral of the story, in any civil war kick the other side when they are down until they are in the dust for perpetuity! Legally, even by their own constitution in Taiwan, Taiwan is still no more than a province in the "Republic of China" which dates from 1912.
Well stated Trex8, but there was a minor glitch..the US 7th Fleet stood in the way of Uncle Mao as he was poised to kick the fatal blow. The ROC exist today only by US consent. Otherwise, the moral of the story is perfectly in line with the teachings of the Art of War.
BN747
"Home of the Brave, made by the Slaves..Land of the Free, if you look like me.." T. Jefferson
Dragon-wings From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 3920 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 4270 times:
Why even paint the plane if they can't fly the plane with the livery on it? What a waste of time and money!
9V-SPK From Hong Kong, joined Aug 2001, 1646 posts, RR: 6 Reply 10, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 4185 times:
It's stupid, but the Chinese authorities have mentioned that if the plane does get into operation with the new livery, it could be banned from landing at HKG (Well the HKG authorities have said that they would not ban the plane, but you know the Chinese governement could intevere anything).
I know that a lot of people would agree that the word Taiwan is no big deal, epsecially that Taiwan is only using the word "Taiwain" on the plane for the promotion of tourism in Taiwan. They have considered the word TAipei instead but what's the point of just promoting one city? Hence, the livery has to be removed, and there goes the 1st special livery of CI.
Wunderk From Canada, joined Jun 2003, 98 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 4015 times:
China Airlines should make thousands of copies of the model of the plane and give them out free for promotion or sell them really cheap as an act of defiance. Maybe include a little bit of explanation of the whole outrageous episode on the box to show the world how China is turning into the new USSR.
Wolfy From Taiwan, joined Mar 2001, 335 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 3905 times:
Really really sad and disappointed!!!
Thanks a lot to those who looked up the site and shared with me, appreciated! At least I get to see how it looks like even it did not take off! No wonder I was checking its site and did not see anything about it!
GARUDAROD From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 1477 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 3636 times:
For the record, this will not be the first special livery.
For the millenium an A340 and B744 were painted in special markings.
Cx flyboy From Hong Kong, joined Dec 1999, 6341 posts, RR: 56 Reply 17, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 3559 times:
Actually, there was never An A340 and 744 painted for the Millenium. There were models made, but no aircraft were ever painted as such, and you will have a hard time finding any photos of these aircraft you mention on this database.
Cch362 From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 147 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3441 times:
Taiwan - Touch Your Heart
This is perfect English. "Touch Your Heart" is used as an imperative in this case, as in: (you) Touch your heart, with "you" as the implied subject.
If the subject were Taiwan, then "Taiwan touches your heart" would be correct.
Too bad the livery is already gone. There have been a lot of rumblings again with independence talks lately, with the presidential elections approaching. This will no doubt add fuel to the debate. Time will tell WHEN the latent frustrations of the Taiwanese finally boil over.
Incidentally, I think the PRC would actually prefer CI keep its name. At least this way there is acknowledgement that a Taiwan-based airline identifies itself as China.
9V-SPK From Hong Kong, joined Aug 2001, 1646 posts, RR: 6 Reply 21, posted (9 years 8 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 3379 times:
KC Sim,
The plane never left out of the hangar. I guess after the paint job was finished, they started the procedure of painting back to the normal livery around 1-2 days and it is still in the hangar.
That special livery is definetely one of the best in recent times, and sad to see that politics always play a certain role in the aviation industry, but understandable. I would say that the word phrase "Taiwan - Touch Your Heart" has nothing to do with politics, CI was just trying to promote Taiwan as a wonderful place.
Oh well, at least there are photos of the special livery which is some kind of comfort.
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