EVA Air plans more long haul destinations while growing short haul and consolidating with Uni Air

EVA Air plans to launch service to Chicago and Istanbul in 2016, as well as considering a number of new destinations for 2017 and beyond, including Barcelona, Boston, Milan and Washington D.C. This large destination growth over the next few years compares with the five years when EVA went without adding a long haul point, until its Jun-2015 inaugural to Houston. Incoming 787-9s will enable growth in secondary European markets, although this could risk Taiwan-Europe overcapacity following Turkish Airlines' Mar-2015 entry, and Emirates' plan to up-gauge its Taipei service to a two-class A380 in 2016. In its staple North American market, EVA Air plans to continue its expansion with its 777-300ER fleet, which will total 34 aircraft in 2017, but could possibly grow beyond that before EVA Air re-fleets with the 777X or A350-1000.

EVA Air plans to withdraw its A330-200s in 2016 in favour of A330-300s, while two MD-90s will be retired in 2016, and six A321s will join the fleet. Competitors China Airlines and TransAsia have LCC subsidiaries, but EVA Air maintains its view that conditions are not yet right for local Taiwanese LCCs. EVA Air is considering consolidation with its Uni Air subsidiary, if the government will allow EVA to take over Uni's traffic right allocations.