Airbus cannot deliver aircraft fast enough to keep up with surging post-Covid demand according to the CEO of Starlux Airlines (JX, Taipei Taoyuan), Glenn Chai, who told Reuters recently that he was pushing the aircraft manufacturer to speed up supply but that its production rate is still hovering below its pre-pandemic levels.
The Taiwanese carrier now operates three A350-900s. The carrier has another 15 on order and expects to receive five of those next year to facilitate its push into the North American market. Starlux Airlines is starting flights to Los Angeles International this week and wants to fly to San Francisco by the end of the year, with further destinations planned. However, according to Chai, when that happens will largely depend on when Airbus can supply the planes.
"We have been pushing Airbus to provide the aircraft as soon as possible, but their production rate is not able at the moment to return to pre-pandemic levels," he said. "New York is a must (as a Starlux destination). It's the largest city in North America, but it depends on aircraft deliveries. The headache for us is Airbus can't hand them over."
Starlux's A350-900s will operate the new Los Angeles flights. The aircraft also flies sectors to Tokyo Narita, Macau International, Osaka Kansai, and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi. In addition, Starlux Airlines also operates four leased A330-900Ns, presently to Singapore Changi, Osaka, and Bangkok, as well as thirteen A321-200NXs on sectors to a variety of smaller cities around Asia.
