China Airlines' second A350 livery aircraft "Formosan Blue Magpie" makes debut, launches direct Taipei–Vancouver flights

▲ China Airlines' A350 "Blue Magpie" livery aircraft operating the Vancouver route. (Photo / Provided by China Airlines)

Reported by Lai Wen-xuan / Taipei

China Airlines' second Airbus A350 livery aircraft, the "Formosan Blue Magpie," made its debut and operated the Taipei–Vancouver route on the first day. China Airlines stated that all destinations in North America are now served by either 777 or new A350 aircraft, marking a new milestone in the deployment of next-generation passenger planes.

The "Blue Magpie" is China Airlines' second A350 livery aircraft and also the 100th A350 delivered to the aviation industry by Airbus. China Airlines noted that the Formosan Blue Magpie was ranked first in Taiwan's national bird selection and is a unique bird species found only in Taiwan. Paired with the beautifully blooming tung bloss

▲ China Airlines’ A350 "Blue Magpie" special livery aircraft made its inaugural flight to Vancouver in the early hours of August 1. Chairman Ho (fifth from the right) and General Manager Hsieh Shih-chien (fifth from the left) attended the maiden voyage ceremony. (Photo / Provided by China Airlines)

Since 2014, China Airlines has successively introduced next-generation aircraft including the 777 and A350, which have become the mainstay of its long-haul fleet. Of these, 10 777s have been delivered, and 14 A350s are scheduled to be fully delivered by 2018. China Airlines Chairman Ho stated that all of the airline’s European destinations—including Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Vienna, and Rome—are now served exclusively by next-generation aircraft.

▲ The China Airlines A350 "Blue Magpie" special livery aircraft makes its debut. (Photo / Provided by China Airlines)

Following Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, Vancouver is now added to the list of North American destinations served by the A350, expanding passenger service coverage. This marks the completion of the final piece of the puzzle for China Airlines’ next-generation fleet serving the North American market.

Starting October 29 this year, China Airlines’ A350 aircraft will operate the Taipei–Honolulu route. From December 1, flights will also begin on the Taipei–London and Taipei–Sydney routes. The London route will operate four flights per week, while Sydney service will increase to two daily round trips.

The cabin configuration of the new China Airlines A350 aircraft consists of a total of 306 seats, including 32 in Premium Business Class, 31 in Premium Economy Class, and 243 in Economy Class.