Airlines in Taiwan To Receive Government Help

A China Airlines Passenger Jet

Taiwan’s top two air carriers, China Airlines and EVA Air in addition to four others are to receive government funded loans to help them through a dip in airline travel caused by COVID-19.

On Monday, March 16th, Deputy Transportation Minister Huang Yu-lin made the announcement to the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.

According to Huang, operational fees charged by the government and airports will be reduced. These are anticipated to include landing and departure fees around Taiwan. Fees charged for use of airport facilities will also be included.

According to the report, Huang said the loans had been planned ahead of time, as early as February, to help the struggling industry. He went on to explain that the ministry had already met with industry officials from six Taiwanese airlines. Details will be discussed in a government meeting in Taiwan’s capital later today.

Taiwan’s air travel industry has been hit hard recently by a global drop in air travel amidst efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Just a week ago, China Airlines announced salary cuts for 10,000 employees. Flight numbers were also affected with at least 6,500 China Airlines flights cut between February and April.

Mark Buckton

Mark is a journalism vet of 20 years with most of those years spent in Tokyo, Japan, as a columnist for The Japan Times and numerous other publications. His work has appeared on CNN, in the BBC, NPR, and in several dozen other media forms and publications across five continents.