Taiwanese carrier China Airlines today (September 28) became the 15th member of the SkyTeam alliance.
It is the first Taiwanese airline to join the alliance which is led by Air France KLM and Delta Air Lines.
The carrier, whose hub is at the Taiwanese capital of Tapei, serves 80 destinations worldwide with 224 daily departures.
The arrival of China Airlines also brings three new destinations to the alliance: Okinawa and Miyazaki in Japan and Surabaya in Indonesia.
It is the third carrier from the region to join Sky with mainland carriers China Southern and China Eastern already members.
Between them the three carriers serve 20 major Chinese cities.
Michael Wisbrun, SkyTeam’s managing director, said: “Thanks to excellent links to a number of existing SkyTeam hubs, China Airlines’ membership adds value to the alliance for both passengers and cargo customers.”
Chia-Juch Chang, China Airlines ‘chairman, said: “Joining SkyTeam is an integral part of our strategy for increased international growth and profitability.
“Today’s milestone is a momentous occasion in our history.”