China Airlines to start Taipei-Melbourne-Christchurch

[Stefan Perkas]

Evening all,

3x flights per week (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday) beginning October 25th...

China Airlines from 25OCT15 is expanding service to Australia and New Zealand, with the launch of Taipei Taoyuan – Melbourne – Christchurch route. This route will be served 3 times a week, on board Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

CI057 TPE2330 – 1150+1MEL1310+1 – 1830+1CHC 333 257
CI058 CHC1950 – 2140MEL2310 – 0535+1TPE 333 136

China Airlines’ Christchurch service will be expanded from 3 to 6 weekly as a result (at time this post goes to press), with local traffic rights on Melbourne – Christchurch sector. Reservation for this route opened on Tuesday Morning local time in Taiwan.

Info from: http://airlineroute.net/2015/06/23/ci-mel-w15/

[James Smith]

Will the new Melbourne to Christchurch service operate year round or only to 26 March 2016?

The Airline Route announcement on 16 June 2015 relating to the Brisbane to Auckland 744 China Airlines services also advised that the Sydney to Christchurch services would operate 3 per week from 26 October 2015 to 26 March 2016 only. Will Christchurch now have year round China Airlines services?

[Stefan Perkas]

I believe the Melbourne-Christchurch flight will be year round.

[Torin Wilson]

Its seasonal along with Sydney. Runs for either 20 or 22 weeks, looks like it ends start of March.

[Jarden S]

From CI website the last flight to CHC is showing the 27th March 2016.
But MEL is not showing up at all yet. That may end on this date as well. Or the flight may turn around and head back to TPE after the 27th.

[MarkR]

From CI website the last flight to CHC is showing the 27th March 2016.
But MEL is not showing up at all yet. That may end on this date as well. Or the flight may turn around and head back to TPE after the 27th.

Scheduling for airlines is done based on when there are time changes twice a year, one of which happens on the 27/3 next year, so flights beyond then may not yet be loaded.