Continuing to make up for its 3 years in the doldrums, China’s airline industry is to also now see the reintroduction of flights to and from Taiwan. For us in Nanjing, that translates to flights to both Taipei and Kaohsiung, beginning the 3rd week of April.
It was announced this morning, 31 March, that the first post-COVID flights from Nanjing to Taiwan are to be operated by China Eastern Airlines. The Jiangsu division of the Shanghai-based carrier shall be flying two routes; Nanjing-Taipei and Nanjing-Kaohsiung.
The first of those takes to the air on 18 April, to Taipei. Flight MU5001 shall be a daily service, departing Nanjing at 14:45, to arrive at Taoyuan International Airport at 16:50.
Its return leg, flight MU5002, out of Taoyuan, will take off at 17:50 to land in Lukou at 20:10.
The following week shall also see an additional service to Taipei launched, on Mondays only, as MU2981. The outbound segment shall depart Lukou at 07:45 and land in Taoyuan at 09:50 every Monday; MU2982 inbound will leave Taipei at 10:50 and land in Nanjing at 13:05.
China Eastern’s flight out of Nanjing to another Taiwanese city, commences the following day, 19 March, to Kaohsiung. Located on the south coast of the island facing Hong Kong, the port of Kaohsiung is regarded as Taiwan’s second city.
A thrice-weekly service, every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, flight MU2945 is to leave Nanjing at 07:45 and arrive in Kaohsiung at 10:10. As MU2946 on the way back, the China Eastern aircraft will depart Kaohsiung at 11:10 on the same days, to land in Nanjing at 13:45.
China Eastern also has plans to resume routes from Nanjing to Taichung, and Wuxi to Taipei and Kaohsiung, as well as other regions, China News Jiangsu has reported.
As to other carriers, it is also believed that regional operator, Mandarin Airlines, shall be initiating a Nanjing-Taipei flight sometime in July.
Nanjing is not alone. Routes between nine other Chinese cities and Taiwan are also to be reinstated in the near future.