China Airlines Cargo expects ‘challenging’ times

THE president of Taiwan-based China Airlines Cargo (CAC) has stressed the need for more international air service agreements in order to keep business afloat.
“The cargo picture is not pessimistic, but it is challenging,” president Huang-Hsiang Sun says. 
“Fuel prices are high. [China Airlines] Cargo operates long-haul flights. If fuel prices remain high as it is now it will be very challenging for us.”
CAC has increased cargo services on transpacific routes via Osaka Kansai (Japan), filling a void after Japan Airlines shut down freighter operations. It is looking to stretch its 747-400F wings globally.
“Thanks to the liberalisation of air service agreements we can do this between Taiwan and Japan. But we need more such agreements in Asia, otherwise our cargo loads will be very difficult to increase,” Sun comments.
On 2 January, Taiwan and Israel signed an aviation agreement, as part of their efforts to establish closer ties between the two countries following a visa-waiver agreement that took effect in August last year.
The carrier has also re-routed flights to Europe. “We operate via Southeast Asia to Europe and [are] connecting new points together, [such as] from Bangkok [Thailand] or Ho Chi Minh City [Vietnam] to Europe,” he adds.
"In the past, we focused more on transpacific flights.”