By KHT Staff. Photo by S5A-0043/Wiki Commons.
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung International Airport (高雄國際機場) is set to add several new international routes this summer, even as one of the most anticipated names in Taiwan aviation remains absent from the latest official schedule.
According to the airport, AirAsia (亞洲航空) is scheduled to launch a Kuala Lumpur-Kaohsiung-Osaka route on June 15, with seven flights per week. T’way Air (德威航空) began operating a Kaohsiung-Busan route on March 29, also with seven weekly flights. Spring Airlines (春秋航空) is scheduled to open a Kaohsiung-Ningbo route on July 4, with two flights per week.
The new routes add to Kaohsiung’s push to expand international air links as southern Taiwan seeks more direct connections to major Asian destinations. The airport has been working to rebuild and expand international services after years in which many southern travelers had to transfer through Taoyuan or other airports for overseas trips.
Local media reported that a document submitted by Kaohsiung International Airport to the Legislative Yuan’s Transportation Committee on April 29 did not include any confirmed Starlux Airlines (星宇航空) service from Kaohsiung.
Starlux has drawn particular attention because the airline has already completed office counters and a lounge at Kaohsiung International Airport. Travelers have been watching for a formal announcement, with speculation that the carrier could begin Kaohsiung service in the second quarter of this year, possibly focusing on popular routes to Japan or South Korea.
In October last year, Starlux chief strategy officer Liu Yun-fu (劉允富) told media that the airline would “definitely” launch Kaohsiung service, but said the timing and destinations would depend on network planning and market competition. Asked whether service could begin before the 2026 summer travel season, Liu said the airline was “working on it.”
