2014 Maiden Flight～2016 Curtain Call: A Comprehensive Review of V Air’s Two-Year History

▲V Air will cease all flights on October 1. (Photo provided by V Air; the same applies to the following images)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Compiled by Staff

The board meeting of TransAsia Airways held on August 9 decided to officially suspend V Air, a subsidiary of the TransAsia Group, from October 1. V Air, which commenced its maiden flight on December 17, 2014, came to an end in less than two years.

On November 15, 2013, V Air became Taiwan’s first low-cost carrier to be approved for preparation. It obtained its Civil Aeronautics Transport License from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in November 2014. In December 2014, it officially launched its maiden route to Bangkok, followed by the opening of Taipei–Chiang Mai and Taipei–Macau routes in the first quarter of 2015.

In the early stages of its operation, V Air still faced many challenges. For example, its first promotional campaign offering tickets at NT$520 was heavily criticized by consumers due to system crashes. The Taipei–Macau route was also suspended after three months of operation. Additionally, due to Japanese regulatory requirements, the first Taiwan–Japan route—Taipei–Nagoya—was not launched until December 15, 2015.

▲V Air’s bear-themed livery aircraft. (Photo by reporter Tsai Wen-jun)

After launching its Japan routes, V Air expanded to Osaka, Fukuoka, Tokyo, Ibaraki, Manila, and Okinawa in 2016. However, by then, the Taiwan–Japan market had become oversupplied, with many competitors having secured certain market shares or more favorable flight times, resulting in V Air’s passenger load factor fluctuating between 50% and 70%. In the second half of 2016, V Air reduced flights to Nagoya and began cutting services to Ibaraki and Tokyo (Haneda) in late July. Industry insiders were already speculating that “V Air might not survive,” and even the airline’s Facebook admin accidentally revealed that “the V Bear will merge with TransAsia.” At the TransAsia shareholders’ meeting on August 9, it was officially announced that V Air would be integrated into its parent company, TransAsia Airways, and cease operations on October 1.

Compared to foreign budget airlines, V Air’s Chinese-language interface was more user-friendly for Taiwanese travelers. Additionally, the lively and creative service provided by its flight attendants earned widespread praise. The “V Bear” became especially popular among consumers due to its round and adorable design, significantly boosting sales of merchandise. Following the announcement of its impending closure, many netizens flooded the airline’s platforms with heartfelt messages, and merchandise and model airplanes quickly sold out in the online store.

▲V Bear merchandise was one of V Air’s key revenue sources. (Photo by reporter Chen Ruizhong)

Although it ceased operations within two years, V Air was Taiwan’s first low-cost carrier to be approved for preparation and the only locally owned budget airline, making it historically significant for Taiwan’s aviation industry. Therefore, ETtoday News Cloud compiled a timeline of major events since V Air’s establishment to help the public better understand the airline.

Major Events in V Air’s History
November 15, 2013: Became Taiwan’s first low-cost carrier to be approved for preparation
January 23, 2014: Officially named “VAir V Air”; the person who named it received 10 years of unlimited-flight tickets
March 24, 2014: Unveiled its corporate identity system, launched its official website and Facebook fan page
September 18, 2014: Revealed flight attendant uniforms and locally inspired in-flight services
October 13, 2014: First V Air aircraft arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport
November 27, 2014: Obtained Civil Aeronautics Transport License (AOC) from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications
December 3, 2014: First online ticket sales; system crash occurred
December 17, 2014: Maiden flight from Taipei to Bangkok
January 6, 2015: Maiden flight from Taipei to Siem Reap (charter)
January 7, 2015: Maiden flight from Taipei to Chiang Mai
April 10, 2015: Maiden flight from Taipei to Macau
July 11, 2015: Suspended Taipei–Macau route
August 24, 2015: Maiden flight from Taipei to Busan
September 19, 2015: Maiden flight from Taipei to Ibaraki (charter)
December 15, 2015: Maiden flight from Taipei to Nagoya

▲V Air unveiled its flight attendant uniforms on September 18, 2014. (Photo by reporter Chen Ruizhong)

January 23, 2016: Maiden flight from Taipei to Osaka
January 25, 2016: First flight from Taipei to Fukuoka
March 11, 2016: First flight from Taipei to Tokyo (Haneda)
March 15, 2016: First flight from Taipei to Ibaraki
March 27, 2016: First flight from Taipei to Manila
May 6, 2016: A counterfeit power bank self-ignites on a TransAsia flight
July 1, 2016: First flight from Taipei to Okinawa
July 13, 2016: Collaborates with the Council of Indigenous Peoples to launch a Hakka-themed flight
July 16, 2016: Suspends flights between Taipei and Manila
August 9, 2016: Announces the merger of V Air into its parent company, TransAsia Airways
September 20, 2016: Suspends flights between Taipei and Ibaraki, and Taipei and Tokyo (Haneda)
September 30, 2016: Operates its final flight
October 1, 2016: V Air officially ceases all operations