Palau welcomes new Taiwan flights
Updated
![Palau is hoping Taiwan's China Airlines will continue its service after Far Eastern Air Transport went bankrupt. [AFP]](http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/img/news/base/taiwan_chinaairlines_afp.jpg "Palau is hoping Taiwan's China Airlines will continue its service after Far Eastern Air Transport went bankrupt. [AFP]")
Palau is hoping Taiwan's China Airlines will continue its service after Far Eastern Air Transport went bankrupt. [AFP]
An inaugural charter flight from Taiwan to Palau by China Airlines has been greeted with relief in the western Pacific nation.
Airline officials say the new service, which operates four times a week, is expected to fly at near capacity levels.
China Air is using a 130-seat Boeing 737-800 for the service, which could be upgraded to scheduled service by September.
Taiwan is the largest single source of tourism for Palau, providing about 30,000 visitors a year.
The market dried-up when bankrupt Far Eastern Air Transport grounded its planes in May.
The charter flights follow Palau's appeal to new Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou for help.
