Welcoming the MLB All-Star Team to Taiwan on 10/29, EVA Air Prepares a Special Charter Flight

By Chi Binghui, compiled and reported

The highly anticipated MLB All-Star Team will make its first visit to Taiwan on 10/29, with over 30 star players including Yankees' Robinson Cano and Orioles' catcher Jeremy Guthrie, along with their family members and staff — totaling approximately 150 people — traveling aboard a chartered EVA Air flight. This marks the second time EVA Air has provided a "custom-made" high-spec flight for an MLB team, following its 2010 service for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The airline has taken professional considerations in everything from service supplies and in-flight meals to sleep amenities and entertainment, ensuring the players enjoy a comfortable journey to Taiwan.

EVA Air stated that General Manager Chang Kuo-wei will personally lead the dedicated flight crew, including four forward cabin crew members and 17 rear cabin crew members, who arrived in Los Angeles on October 27 to carry out pre-flight and in-flight service preparations. The charter flight will depart for Los Angeles on the morning of October 29. The MLB charter aircraft is a Boeing 777-300ER luxury airliner, which can be parked at a designated area at LAX. Upon departure, all players and VIPs can board directly via a dedicated channel. The return flight is BR-1011 from Los Angeles to Taipei on 10/29, arriving at 16:00 on 10/30. The outbound return is BR-1012 from Kaohsiung to Los Angeles on 11/06 at 19:30.

In terms of in-flight services, passengers will generally have an entire row to themselves, and all classes will offer Royal Laurel class service, including duvets, TUMI sleep pillows, and premium overnight kits. Special items such as a “Japanese NISSEI portable pneumatic massager,” stress-relief eye masks, and basic relaxation tools will also be provided to help players fully unwind during the journey. For meals, player dietary preferences were taken into account, offering three types of meals: regular meals, snacks, and pre-arrival meals, all served in an American-style presentation with larger main course portions — including 10-ounce (approximately 300g) steaks, cod, and chicken, which are about three times the size of standard servings. There is also an option for “Din Tai Fung beef noodles” to promote Taiwanese cuisine. The snack period includes sandwiches, double-decker burgers, Haagen-Dazs ice cream, cookies, and chocolate bars.