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China Airlines And Alitalia Announce Code-Share
Cooperation On Taipei-Bangkok-Rome Service
Oct. 27, 2003, Taipei, Taiwan- China Airlines and Alitalia are
inaugurating a code-share cooperation on the Taipei-Bangkok-Rome
route, starting October 27. The code-share service will be initially
on 3 weekly flights using an A340-300 aircraft, and will increase
to 4 flights per week from the week of November 17 subject to
government approval. This China Airlines code-share cooperation
comes on the heels of a separate code-share cooperation with Delta
Air Lines, which began June 1,2003.
The benefits of code-share include providing more convenient
travel arrangements for passengers, and reducing operating costs
for airlines. Participating airlines require joint commitment
on flight safety, service and operations through lengthy negotiation
and thorough audit. According to the cooperation model between
China Airlines and Alitalia, China Airlines will operate the flights,
and Alitalia will place the code AZ7681/7680 on China Airlines
flight CI067/068. Through the cooperation, Alitalia can expand
its network and enter the Taiwan market. At the same time, China
Airlines can increase its traffic of European passengers to Taiwan
and to Southeast Asia.
In the future, airports in Taipei, Bangkok and Rome will display
both China Airlines and Alitalia codes on these flights. China
Airlines has extensively prepared for the new code-share cooperation.
In order to welcome more Italian passengers on these flights,
additional Italian inflight announcements, magazines, newspapers,
movies, evacuation video, as well as Alitalia!|s in-flight magazine
will be available on board. Italian wine and cuisine will also
be served. Menu in Italian version will be served to passengers
of First and Business classes. China Airlines also plans to recruit
Italian-speaking flight attendants to be dedicated on these code-share
flights.
China Airlines inaugurated its Taipei-Rome service with 2 weekly
flights in 1995. The frequency was increased to 3 flights per
week in March 2002. In August 2003, the stop in Abu Dhabi was
moved to Bangkok, and CAL can pick up and carry passengers on
all sectors of the route. Taipei-Rome service is always an important
route connecting Taiwan and Europe.
China Airlines currently has code-share cooperations with Alitalia,
Delta Air Lines, Vietnam Airlines and Garuda Indonesia. The cooperation
with Alitalia will enhance China Airlines standing with the European
airline industry. China Airlines operates a fleet of 59 passenger
and cargo aircraft, and it flies to 44 destinations in 21 nations.
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