Airlines apply to suspend Hualien flight routes due to low demand

TransAsia Airways and Uni Air have both applied to the Civil Aeronautics Administration to suspend their flight routes to Hualien, potentially ending all scheduled commercial air service to the region. The airlines cite soaring operating costs and extremely low passenger load factors as the primary drivers for the decision.

According to statistics from the Civil Aeronautics Administration, load factors for Hualien routes have remained below 50% between 2023 and 2025. Specifically, Uni Air’s Taipei-Hualien route saw a load factor of only 24% in the first half of this year, while TransAsia’s routes from Kaohsiung and Taichung also struggle with low demand. TransAsia Airways reported an annual loss of approximately 70 million TWD on its Hualien routes, noting that current ticket pricing fails to reflect rising operational costs.

Local officials in Hualien have expressed concern, emphasizing that air travel serves as a critical lifeline during natural disasters like typhoons or earthquakes when land and rail connections may be severed. The Hualien County Government has called on the central government to ensure transportation justice for remote areas by potentially subsidizing loss-making routes to maintain essential services. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications stated it respects the professional judgment of the aviation authority but remains committed to preparing multi-modal emergency transport plans if air services are discontinued.