Passenger revenue for March came in at NT$3.8 billion, increasing 31% YoY. Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East have led some passengers to reroute through Taiwan, driving simultaneous increases in both load factor and ticket prices.
In the cargo market, cargo revenue reached NT$432 million, for an increase of 23% month-over-month (MoM) and 15% YoY. As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued, some sea freight orders shifted to air cargo, and shipping demand increased toward the end of Q1. The combined effect of these factors supported higher cargo volumes and kept freight rates elevated.
STARLUX Airlines continued to expand its network in central Taiwan. With the deployment of its fourth aircraft in the Taichung market, the airline launched the Taichung–Tokyo and Taichung–Kumamoto routes on March 30 and March 31, respectively, with plans for gradual increases in frequency. The Taichung–Tokyo route will initially make four flights per week, increasing to eight flights per week from April 15 to May 31, and seven flights per week from July 11 to August 20. The Taichung–Kumamoto route will begin with three flights per week, increasing to five flights per week between May 1 and May 31, and further expanding to six flights per week from July 10 to August 19. With the addition of the Tokyo and Kumamoto routes, along with the Busan route planned to launch in June, STARLUX Airlines will have opened 10 destinations from Taichung, further enhancing direct international connectivity for travelers in central Taiwan.
Regarding the fleet, the airline has entered a peak delivery period this year. The second A350-1000 was delivered and arrived in Taiwan on March 18. Three additional A350-1000 aircraft are expected to join the fleet this year, serving as the main force for STARLUX's expansion into the U.S. and European long-haul markets. The total fleet size is expected to reach 43 aircraft by year-end.
In terms of capacity deployment, STARLUX continues
to optimize its network structure and aircraft assignments as its fleet
expands, upgrading aircraft and adding extra flights on high-demand routes.
Flights from Taipei to Okinawa and Sapporo will be upgraded to A350-900
operations to enhance overall capacity and passenger experience. To meet strong
market demand, extra flights are planned for the Taipei–Da Nang and Taipei–Kobe
routes during the peak travel seasons in May and June, respectively. Given the
continued instability in the Middle East, STARLUX will closely monitor market
developments and make prudent adjustments to flight capacity and scheduling to
maintain operational flexibility and efficiency.