Taiwan’s transportation ministry is working with the foreign ministry to address a recent lack of flights between Taiwan and its diplomatic ally Palau. That comes after Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. said China Airlines, Taiwan’s flag carrier, is being “irresponsible” and “poisoning Palau’s market”.
China Airlines has canceled a number of flights to Palau in November. Transportation Minister Wang Kuo-tsai says that is because fewer than 20 passengers made bookings on each flight. That is significantly fewer than in August and September, when Wang says China Airlines operated two flights a week at 70% capacity.
Taiwan and Palau launched a COVID-19 travel bubble scheme in April, allowing people to travel between the two countries with a shortened quarantine period. Authorities suspended the bubble in May after a surge of COVID-19 cases in Taiwan, before the travel program resumed in mid-August.
Opposition lawmaker Chiu Chen-yuan says Taiwan does not have many diplomatic allies, so the government should take better care not to create rifts with Taiwan’s international partners.
Transportation Minister Wang Kuo-tsai says the transportation ministry is working with China Airlines, tour operators and the foreign ministry to address the issue.