China Airlines held a press conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to celebrate its 15th anniversary since joining the SkyTeam alliance. President Chen Han-ming stated that airlines cannot operate alone with limited fleet resources and must leverage alliances to enhance passenger convenience and loyalty. He announced that China Airlines will soon codeshare with Virgin Atlantic, aiming to continue contributing to the alliance and leverage its global network for the next 15 years.
Chen noted that since joining SkyTeam in 2011 — as Taiwan's first carrier to enter a global airline alliance and the 15th member of SkyTeam — China Airlines has provided passengers with benefits including through-check baggage, mileage accrual, priority boarding, and lounge access. The airline added that the initial phase will involve China Airlines placing its code on Virgin Atlantic flights, with both carriers expected to leverage complementary networks to enhance services between Taiwan and the United Kingdom, offering more options for passengers traveling between Asia and Europe.
SkyTeam CEO Patrick Roux described China Airlines as a key partner in Asia, highlighting Taiwan's strategic hub position, dense regional network, and passenger and cargo strengths as vital for connecting Asia with global markets. The SkyTeam network currently comprises 18 member airlines serving 960 destinations across 165 countries with over 13,880 daily flights.
China Airlines operates six European destinations — Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Rome, Prague, and Vienna — with nearly 30 weekly direct flights, making it the Taiwanese carrier with the most European destinations and highest frequency. Beyond its own routes, China Airlines codeshares with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air France, and Air Europa, extending connections to major cities in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, and Finland. The carrier also partners with Deutsche Bahn, Great Western Railway, and the National Railway Company of Belgium for air-rail intermodal services.
Chen cited Delta Air Lines in North America, Air France, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic in Europe, and Korean Air and Vietnam Airlines in Asia as examples of how close cooperation maximises alliance benefits. China Airlines aims to raise its global visibility through the alliance's various facets, demonstrating that it is Taiwan's most outstanding airline.
