Taiwanese startup Starlux Airlines doubles down on Airbus A350 freighter

Taiwan-based Starlux Airlines, which has been in business for five years and operates 26 passenger aircraft, is doubling down on its strategy to become a freighter operator in a region hungry for widebody shipping capacity.

The company on Thursday announced it has placed a firm order with Airbus for five more A350 next-generation freighters, doubling its previous order from last February.

Starlux Airlines will become the first Taiwanese airline to operate Airbus’ newly designed freighter later this decade. It said the A350 fleet will be operated by its cargo division on some of the world’s busiest freight routes. Starlux has previously said it is diversifying to take advantage of growing demand for electronic components and semiconductors, which are key manufacturing sectors in Taiwan.

Taiwan’s major cargo airlines are Eva Air and China Airlines, which last month said it will buy four 777-8 aircraft, the next-generation freighter being developed by Boeing. 

“The cargo market is set to become a key element in our business model and will benefit from the advantages offered by Taiwan’s geographical location,” said Starlux CEO Glenn Chai. “The A350F is the perfect choice for Starlux, offering a similar payload-range capability as previous generation freight

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