Despite strong loads, Taipei-based China Airlines is reducing service to an unlikely West Coast city.
China Airlines serves Ontario, California daily…an odd route, despite the large Chinese diaspora in the San Gabriel valley of Southern California. The airport remains a fraction of the size of LAX and offers far more limited connected options.
Even so, there’s a distinct upside to flying via ONT. Passengers routinely clear passport control, claim baggage, and exit customs in under 15-minutes…without Global Entry. That’s remarkable.
And according to one airport commissioner, the new flight is performing very well, with an 80% load factor.
China Airlines operates a Boeing 777-300ER on the new route, with 358 seats in the following configuration:
- 40 Business Class
- 62 Premium Economy
- 256 Economy Class
That’s a lot of seats. Perhaps too much during the slower months, despite the popularity of the new route.
From late summer thru mid-autumn, China Airlines is reducing its flights out of Ontario from seven to five per week.
China Airlines reducing Taipei Taoyuan – Ontario service from 7 to 5 weekly, from 24AUG18 to 24OCT18
— Airlineroute (@Airlineroute) June 15, 2018
In late October, the carrier will resume daily service.
CONCLUSION
If you have not flown China Airlines before, I highly recommend it. I thoroughly enjoyed three flights last year on China Airlines. As new eateries and shops continue to open at Ontario, we will see if the Inland Empire’s airport–which still has plenty of room for growth–can attract more airlines.
> Read More:
> Read More: China Airlines A350 Business Class Amsterdam to Taipei Review
image: Kiefer / Wikimeida Commons
I now hear this (and clearly see the China Air symbol on the tail ) plane everyday
about 4 pm ,as it flies back to China, over my San Dimas house. Been here 30 years, never had plane noise. Recently more and more planes fly over, gaining altitude from Ontario airport, heading northwest mostly. Please comment on “new” FAA plane routings. Even Lake Arrowhead residents complain on new descend routings changed by FAA into Ontario.
The departure time in Ontario,California will be change by one hour in August at night.
You should add an addendum. They’re swapping aircraft to the A350 and pushing their departure to late night for those connecting to greater Asia.