The key words "Highly Likely" along with no comment from CI, no listed schedule, only a blurb in a Taiwanese newspaper ( I am sure we all know how reliable newspapers are concerning new routes ), leave me "Highly Skeptical" . Considering the global economic weakness and the fact that CI's loads on the TPE--SEA-IAH route were by most estimates, dismal, I find it hard to believe that CI would give IAH another shot. Now if it were a non-stop, (which I don't believe that CI has a plane that can make the hop, nonstop), I might be a little less skeptical.
YVR1968 From Australia, joined Feb 2004, 704 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (3 years 1 week 11 hours ago) and read 2763 times:
Quoting Thomasphoto60 (Thread starter): I find it hard to believe that CI would give IAH another shot. Now if it were a non-stop, (which I don't believe that CI has a plane that can make the hop, nonstop), I might be a little less skeptical.
Well it states that the routing would be TPE-SFO-IAH. Who knows!
It does show the Sydney flight back to daily, so there must be some credibility to the story!
LAXdude1023 From United States of America, joined Sep 2006, 5949 posts, RR: 28 Reply 4, posted (3 years 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 2448 times:
IAH needs another nonstop flight to Asia. With CO joining star, OZ might be a really good option. I dont think CI would succeed back in IAH doing a one stop flight to TPE.
Anonms From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 528 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (3 years 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 2433 times:
Quoting YVR1968 (Reply 1): Well it states that the routing would be TPE-SFO-IAH. Who knows!
Unless they increased SFO frequencies, that wouldn't work at all; loads on SFO flights are usually really good.
I'm surprised IAH had dismal loads, though, given that the Houston and Plano areas have a large Taiwanese expatriate population; every time I go to Taiwan for any sort of program for people living in North America, there's always a large amount of Texans.
LAXdude1023 From United States of America, joined Sep 2006, 5949 posts, RR: 28 Reply 6, posted (3 years 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 2417 times:
Quoting Anonms (Reply 5): I'm surprised IAH had dismal loads, though, given that the Houston and Plano areas have a large Taiwanese expatriate population;
That flight got little to no passengers from the DFW area. Most DFW-TPE traffic transits in NRT, LAX, ICN, or SFO (some SEA too). In that order last I checked.
Yellowtail From Belize, joined Jun 2005, 4179 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (3 years 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 2268 times:
Quoting Anonms (Reply 5): I'm surprised IAH had dismal loads, though, given that the Houston and Plano areas have a large Taiwanese expatriate population; every time I go to Taiwan for any sort of program for people living in North America, there's always a large amount of Texans.
I think the real problem was the 1 stop...having to off load in SEA and go thru FIS...in conjuction with the less than daily frequency. If it was a daily n/s...would probably do much better.
And if it were timed to connect to with some inbound CO Cen American destinations that have Tiawanese links....BZE, MGA etc.....might work...
I know for example msot of the 15,000 strong Belizean Tiawan community goes BZE-SAL-LAX-TPE or BZE-IAH-LAX/SFO-TPE
When in doubt, hold on to your altitude. No-one has ever collided with the sky.
Coolfish1103 From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 350 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 years 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 2036 times:
Recently, the loads on TPE-SFO v.v. is good on China Airlines and EVA Airways. EVA Airways has already planned to operate 74E on the route for the extra flights, so it's possible for China Airlines to add TPE-SFO-IAH v.v. on here to ensure that the new flights will at least be packed with the additional passengers from IAH. This will also make the flight to leave TPE at daytime and depart SFO at night times, which is a better schedule for transit passengers.
I am more interested in which aircraft they will be utilizing in the route... since... SFO is suppose to be operated with First Class available.
I don't think Canada released Fifth Freedom for YVR-IAH v.v.
Malaysia From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 3147 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (3 years 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 1979 times:
Quoting Coolfish1103 (Reply 9): so it's possible for China Airlines to add TPE-SFO-IAH v.v. on here to ensure that the new flights will at least be packed with the additional passengers from IAH. This will also make the flight to leave TPE at daytime and depart SFO at night times, which is a better schedule for transit passengers.
I sure would like seeing CI to add a 2nd flight thru SFO, not tag the existing SFO, cause it has a very convenient time for me. I prefer the CI SFO schedule over BR. can get into TPE early and spend more time that day and can spend more time on the departure date in TPE since dont have to leave till late night.
There Are Those Who Believe That There May Yet Be Other Airlines Who Even Now Fight To Survive Beyond The Heavens
Anonms From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 528 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 years 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 1931 times:
Quoting Malaysia (Reply 10): I sure would like seeing CI to add a 2nd flight thru SFO, not tag the existing SFO, cause it has a very convenient time for me. I prefer the CI SFO schedule over BR. can get into TPE early and spend more time that day and can spend more time on the departure date in TPE since dont have to leave till late night.
CI and BR both have TPE-SFO flights that leave around 11 PM and SFO-TPE flights that leave around midnight. BR also has an earlier flight in both directions (not sure what the timing is).... 3 times a week, I think?
If CI added a TPE-SFO-IAH flight, I think it would be better to just add afternoon flights and tag on SFO-IAH to some of the red eyes; it's more convenient to transfer in TPE if you land at 6 AM as opposed to 8 PM (unless you'd rather stay overnight).
OZ would be great. The amount of traffic we send to ICN/ASIA should warrant some service. Our LAX/SFO/SEA flights are generally high in traffic making the connection. Would be a great sight to see at IAH!!
okay, I'm waiting for the rich to spread the wealth around to me. Please mail your checks to my house.
Vincewy From Taiwan, joined Oct 2005, 701 posts, RR: 1 Reply 13, posted (3 years 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 1682 times:
The only way it will work for CI is either:
1. Nonstop TPE-IAH, the SEA-IAH tag was really wasteful (can't add passengers in SEA) and arrived too late at IAH, quite a pity since there were a lot of connections available from CO at least to Southeastern part of US (even Latin America) if it arrives by 4 pm (factoring immigration and custom for 6 pm or later flights), wasn't sure if A343 has the range, perhaps they can pick up couple A345s from TG or SQ.
2. TPE-YVR-IAH, with traffic right between YVR and IAH. The problem with this, just like SEA, is the timings of departures and arrivals, either leaving too early at TPE or arriving to late at IAH. In the end CI chose the latter option as this flight was popular among local Filipinos and Vietnamese in Houston.
In the end I still think nonstop is the best option, even 3 flights a week will work, leaving TPE around 3-4 pm, arriving IAH at around the same time, and returning IAH-TPE as redeye
Anonms From United States of America, joined Dec 2007, 528 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 years 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 1666 times:
Quoting Vincewy (Reply 13): In the end I still think nonstop is the best option, even 3 flights a week will work, leaving TPE around 3-4 pm, arriving IAH at around the same time, and returning IAH-TPE as redeye
Would the A350's range stretch far enough to do it?
Trex8 From United States of America, joined Nov 2002, 3647 posts, RR: 15 Reply 15, posted (3 years 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 1439 times:
Quoting Anonms (Reply 14): Would the A350's range stretch far enough to do it?
doubtful, at least westbound.
wouldn't it make more sense to use an A333 with a tech stop in ANC and carry lots of cargo too? ANC-TPE may be a stretch for their version of the A333s (-302, 230K MTOW, non X) but maybe they could off load some cargo (not that there may be that much westbound anyway) onto those several dozen 744Fs they have transiting through ANC weekly.
Trex8 From United States of America, joined Nov 2002, 3647 posts, RR: 15 Reply 17, posted (3 years 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 1225 times:
my reasoning is that TPE-IAH non stop is really not doable with any equipment they have or will have in the future. A one stop with an A343 at YVR is certainly possible payload/range wise but unless they can get a lot of additional pax traffic from that stop, the lower fuel burn on an A333 via ANC may be more profitable. TPE-SFO-YVR is actually a little longer GC route than via YVR which is almost identical to via ANC.
Another thought would be IAH-Japan maybe CTS where they do have a small market , the stopover will allow a higher payload for the transpac portion while allowing increased capacity on TPE-CTS as its unlikely the plane will be totally full from TPE or IAH. If they get rights for CTS-IAH that would probably be one of the few (? only) direct CTS-US flights too.
Coolfish1103 From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 350 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (3 years 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 1168 times:
Are you sure there's a big market in Chitose - Houston? I don't think there's additional rights for Taiwanese carriers to use Japan as an intermediate stop. I think a new bilateral is being talked in February between Japan and Taiwan... so we should expect some additional routes being awarded?
Also, Taiwanese news UDN has an article staying that Abu Dhabi is being lifted from the current Taipei Taoyuan - Abu Dhabi - Vienna v.v. route. If this is the case, the A340-300 should be replacing the A330-300 currently used due to range. There's no information on whether Abu Dhabi is being dropped or kept.
Taipei Taoyuan - Bangkok - Rome Fiumicio v.v. - 1x A340
Taipei Taoyuan - Honolulu v.v. - 1x A340
Taipei Taoyuan - Vancouver v.v. - 2x A340
Taipei Taoyuan - Vienna v.v. - 1x A340
Within Asia (Manila, Ho Chi Minh, Seoul Incheon) - 1x A340
All 6 A340-300 will be used in this case (except 1 aircraft on 2 days)... so I am almost sure that a B747-400 will be used on TPE-SFO-IAH v.v. if this route is indeed open.
Wedgetail737 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5086 posts, RR: 7 Reply 19, posted (3 years 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 1148 times:
The only reason I suggested TPE-YVR-IAH was simply because it is more likely for CI to get fifth-freedom rights between YVR-IAH than it would be to overturn the US Cabotage laws. Other airlines like PR to LAS and QF to SFO are examples of extensions with revenue opportunities between US and Canada.
Trex8 From United States of America, joined Nov 2002, 3647 posts, RR: 15 Reply 20, posted (3 years 4 days ago) and read 1050 times:
Quoting Coolfish1103 (Reply 18): Are you sure there's a big market in Chitose - Houston?
there is probably minimal if any market!, its just a convenient place to do a tech stop and increase TPE-CTS capacity which is usually 738 but occ A333 and even 744 at holidays.
Quoting Wedgetail737 (Reply 19): The only reason I suggested TPE-YVR-IAH was simply because it is more likely for CI to get fifth-freedom rights between YVR-IAH than it would be to overturn the US Cabotage laws.
good point
Quoting Coolfish1103 (Reply 18): All 6 A340-300 will be used in this case (except 1 aircraft on 2 days)... so I am almost sure that a B747-400 will be used on TPE-SFO-IAH v.v. if this route is indeed open.
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From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 3577 posts, 
), leave me "Highly Skeptical" . Considering the global economic weakness and the fact that CI's loads on the TPE--SEA-IAH route were by most estimates, dismal, I find it hard to believe that CI would give IAH another shot. Now if it were a non-stop, (which I don't believe that CI has a plane that can make the hop, nonstop), I might be a little less skeptical.
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