The Taiwanese airline STARLUX has successfully landed its inaugural flight in Ontario, California (ONT), commencing its route between Taipei and Ontario, its fourth destination in the United States following Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. Ontario is STARLUX’s second destination, serving Southern California and providing travellers with a convenient alternative to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
STARLUX Celebrates
The successful landing of STARLUX’s monumental flight was met with a water cannon salute as it arrived at Ontario International Airport (ONT) at 17:05 local time. It departed STARLUX’s base at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) at 20:05 local time, for a total flight time of roughly 11.5 hours. Walter Liang, Chief Passenger Commercial Officer for STARLUX, gave the following statement:
“This new route is an important milestone for STARLUX. Ontario’s strategic location within the Greater Los Angeles area positions us to better connect the diverse communities of Southern California to and from Asia in luxury and comfort. We are thrilled to deepen Taiwan-U.S. ties through this expansion. The new service also offers travelers into and out of the greater Los Angeles area more flexibility and convenience when planning their travel with STARLUX, as they now have the choice of 14 flights a week across two airports. It’s seamless travel—SoCal your way.”
The Greater Los Angeles area hosts one of the largest and most diverse Asian-American communities in the United States. With its 2.5 million Asian-American population (per the 2020 U.S. Census), it acts as a cultural bridge between the U.S. and Asia. Ontario’s proximity to these thriving communities means that STARLUX is ready to provide travellers with connections across the Pacific to more than 24 Asian destinations, including Bangkok, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo through its hub at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Passengers can fly between ONT and TPE on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays on STARLUX’s next-generation A350-900 aircraft.
Mutual Excitement
Alan Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), also expressed his excitement following the route’s launch and the beginning of the OIAA’s partnership with STARLUX, saying the following:
The arrival of STARLUX Airlines elevates Ontario International Airport’s status as a global gateway. STARLUX’s commitment to excellence perfectly aligns with our vision of delivering world-class services to our passengers. This is an exciting day for the Inland Empire. This partnership will undoubtedly bring more economic opportunities to the region. Ontario Airport continues to demonstrate its value as an international gateway, and we’re delighted to work with STARLUX Airlines to expand options for travelers and businesses alike.”
Following the arrival of Flight JX10 at ONT, STARLUX hosted a celebratory launch event, comprising of ribbon cutting, cake cutting, a symbolic gift exchange of a commemorative model aircraft, live jazz music and refreshments. The event marked the beginning of STARLUX’s U.S. expansion and hosted a range of distinguished speakers, including Atif Elkadi, Chief Executive Officer of Ontario International Airport; Alan D. Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority Board; Amino Chi, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Los Angeles; Walter Liang, Chief Passenger Commercial Officer of STARLUX Airlines; and Benjamin Brookman, Managing Director of Alliances at Alaska Airlines. Together, the speakers emphasised their commitment to bringing connectivity and cross-Pacific exchange to both Southern California and Taipei.
Have you flown with STARLUX before? If so, how was your experience? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
