TransAsia Airways


TransAsia Airways was a Taiwanese airline based in Neihu District in Taipei. Though the company started its operations focusing mainly on the Taiwanese domestic market, it operated on many scheduled international routes and focused mainly on Southeast and Northeast Asia Asia and cross-strait flights at the time of closure.
TransAsia suspended operations and shut down indefinitely on 22 November 2016 after a pair of hull loss incidents that occurred within months. Its low-cost subsidiary V Air had already ceased operations in October 2016.

History

Foshing Airlines

On 21 May 1951, FOSHIN TRANSPORT CORP. was formed as the first private civil airline in Taiwan, flying the Taipei - Hualien - Taitung - Kaohsiung route. It also served as local agent for foreign airlines and provided airport ground handling services for foreign airlines.
On 16 October 1958, the management of the airline decided to concentrate its attention on the agency businesses, ceasing domestic services, and strengthening the agency business. It established its airline meal catering services at Songshan Airport in 1966. The airline completed a restructure in 1983 and in 1988, domestic flights resumed after a 30-year absence from the market. In 1991, the first ATR 72 aircraft joined the airline.

TransAsia Airways

Upon launching international routes in January 1992, the English translation changed to "TransAsia Airways" while the Chinese name remained the same. In 1992, unscheduled charter services to international destinations, including Laoag, Manila, Cebu, Phnom Penh, Surabaya, Yangon, Phuket, Danang, and Manado, started. The Airbus A320 joined the fleet, becoming the airline's first jet aircraft.
In 1995, the first scheduled international services started to Macau and Surabaya. In early 2012, the airline was reported to be considering an order for Airbus A380 aircraft to facilitate expansion to the United States.
On 1 November 2011, TransAsia Airways was listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. In May 2013, the headquarters moved from Datong District, Taipei to Neihu District, Taipei.
In January 2014, the airline announced plans to launch a budget airline named V Air. It commenced operations in December of that year. The budget airline closed on 1 October 2016 and merged with TransAsia.
On 21 November 2016, due to a financial crisis caused by the crashes of Flight 222 and Flight 235, the airline suspended all operations and refunded ticketed passengers. The trading of its stock was suspended simultaneously. The next day, the airline announced an indefinite suspension of operations and refunded all passengers with outstanding tickets. As of 2017, some routes operated by TransAsia Airways had been reopened by EVA air, specifically Taipei Songshan to Chongqing, Hangzhou, and Tianjin.
On 11 January 2017, the company's shareholders voted to liquidate it.
On 29 June 2018, the company entered bankruptcy and its license was permanently revoked on July 1.

Corporate affairs

Ground services

Besides flight operations, the airline undertook ground handling and ticketing for a number of foreign airlines, such as Thai Airways International, Jetstar, XiamenAir, Sichuan Airlines, and Cebu Pacific. In addition, private jet service was also part of agency services. Since 2006, the airline had cooperated with International SOS to serve medical flights between Mainland China and Taiwan. The airline began its catering service near the Taipei SongShan Airport in 1966 and was officially named TransAsia Catering Services in 2002. Legend Travel Service Ltd, founded in 2011, provided travel- and tourism-related services under the airline group resources.

Brand and livery

TransAsia Airways introduced a new livery for both staff and aircraft in 2012. Former Shiatzy Chen designer Yin Pei Gun was responsible for the new cabin attendant and ground staff uniforms that appeared that August. The new plane livery, designed by local Taipei company Pace Design, was to be painted on the new Airbus A330, A321ceo, A321neo, and ATR 72-600.

Destinations

As of November 2016, when it ceased its operations, TransAsia Airways flew to the following destinations:
CountryCityAirportNotesRefs
ChinaChangshaChangsha Huanghua International Airport
ChinaChongqingChongqing Jiangbei International Airport
ChinaFuzhouFuzhou Changle International Airport
ChinaGuiyangGuiyang Longdongbao International Airport
ChinaHangzhouHangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
ChinaHefeiHefei Xinqiao International Airport
ChinaNanningNanning Wuxu International Airport
ChinaShanghaiShanghai Hongqiao International Airport
ChinaShanghaiShanghai Pudong International Airport
ChinaTianjinTianjin Binhai International Airport
ChinaWuhanWuhan Tianhe International Airport
ChinaWuxiSunan Shuofang International Airport
ChinaXiamenXiamen Gaoqi International Airport
ChinaXuzhouXuzhou Guanyin Airport
ChinaZhangjiajieZhangjiajie Hehua Airport
JapanAsahikawaAsahikawa Airport
JapanFukuokaFukuoka Airport
JapanHakodateHakodate Airport
JapanNahaNaha Airport
JapanOsakaKansai International Airport
JapanSapporoNew Chitose Airport
JapanSendaiSendai Airport
JapanTokyoNarita International Airport
SingaporeSingaporeChangi Airport
South KoreaBusanGimhae International Airport
South KoreaJejuJeju International Airport
TaiwanHualienHualien Airport
TaiwanKaohsiungKaohsiung International Airport
TaiwanKinmenKinmen Airport
TaiwanMakungMakung Airport
TaiwanTaichungTaichung International Airport
TaiwanTaipeiSongshan Airport
TaiwanTaipeiTaoyuan International Airport
ThailandBangkokSuvarnabhumi Airport
ThailandChiang MaiChiang Mai International Airport

Codeshare agreements

TransAsia Airways had codeshare agreements with the following airlines:
Throughout its existence, TransAsia Airways had operated the following aircraft types:
AircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotes
ATR 42-300319881999
ATR 42-320219921993
ATR 72-201819902007
ATR 72-202519922006
ATR-72-500919972016
ATR 72-600820142018
Airbus A320-2001519922016
Airbus A321-100619952016
Airbus A321-200620152018
Airbus A330-300420122016

Most of the TransAsia fleet was leased and quickly reclaimed by lessors after TransAsia shut down, leaving just the ATR fleet, two Airbus A321 aircraft, and two Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which had been owned by TransAsia. The Airbus aircraft were auctioned off to Avianca for US$364 million, financed by a sale-leaseback on Avianca's end. After the disposal of the Airbus aircraft to Avianca, only the 7 ATR 72-600 remained, initially stored at Taoyuan International Airport, but reregistered to the Guernsey civil register and since moved to Mönchengladbach Airport.

Services

Business Class

The business class seating offered on the Airbus A330-300 was in a 2-2-2 configuration, using seats with a 172-degree recline. Each seat had an AVOD system with a 15.4-inch monitor, AC and USB sockets, adjustable reading lights, and multiple storage bins.
The seats on the Airbus A320-200 and Airbus A321-100 used a 2-2 seating configuration, with a 160-degree recline.

Economy Class

Economy Class was in a 2-4-2 configuration on the Airbus A330, a 3-3 configuration on the Airbus A320 and Airbus A321, and a 2-2 configuration on the ATR series. The seats had a pitch of 30 to 32 inches and a 6-degree recline. The AVOD system was only on the Airbus A330, with a 9-inch monitor.