TRANS ARCTIC: United States (1969-1971). Formed at Grosse Point, Wisconsin, in 1969, this contract carrier is physically based at Fairbanks. A total of 7 Curtiss C-46 Commandos are acquired and employed to operate all-cargo flights throughout Alaska. Operations continue until 1971.
TRANS ASIA AIRWAYS COMPANY, LTD.: 139 Cheng-Chou Road, Taipei, Taiwan; Phone 886 (2) 715-2766; Fax 886 (2) 7129801; Http://www. tna. com. tw; Code GE; Year Founded 1991. In order to reflect its wider ambitions, the Taiwanese scheduled carrier Fos-hing Airlines, Ltd. receives this new name in late 1991. President Charles C. Lin’s 1,300-employee company has a fleet that includes 4 Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-320s and 5 ATR72-202s. Orders are now placed for two Airbus Industrie A320-231s, four A300B4-622Rs (later cancelled), an ATR42-320 and an ATR72-202. Regular flights are maintained linking Taipei with such national cities Hualien, Kao-hsiung, Kinmen, Makung, and Tainan.
The two A320-231s and four ATR72-202s are received, beginning in August 1992. The former allow the inauguration of international charter services to Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Okinawa, Japan, Phnom Penh, Manila, and Cebu during the fall. An order is placed for four A321-100s for delivery beginning in July 1995.
Enplanements total 1,002,034 and a $2.7-million operating profit is earned.
The employee population is increased by 6.3% in 1993 to 1,412. President Lin’s domestic and charter services continue to prove successful and plans are laid to commence scheduled service within a year or so.
Passenger boardings increase 51.3% to 2,069,885. Revenues increase by 47.9% to $117.49 million and expenses are up only 43.2% to $109.88 million. The operating surplus is a comfortable $7.61 million.
Flights continue into 1994. Traffic improves as eight additional ATR72-202s enter service, the last on December 20.
While en route from Peng Hu Island to Kuei Shan Hsiang on January 30, 1995, the new ATR72-202 delivered on December 20, with four crew, crashes into a hillside; there are no survivors.
Destinations visited during the remainder of the year and into 1997 include Cebu, Hualien, Kinmen, Makung, Manila, Surabaya, Phnom Penh, Pingtung, Surabaya, Tainan, and Taitung.
The Asian economic crisis started during the previous year comes to have a severe impact on the carrier in 1998. In the spring, an A320-231 is sold to Kyrgyzstan Airlines; repainted in the colors of its new owners by Lufthansa Technik, it will be delivered in July.
In an effort to remain competitive with the nation’s 14 other local carriers, Trans Asia, in August, is forced to slash the salaries of its pilots by between 20%-40%. As a result, most of the flyers resign. Faced with collapse, the company reaches a deal with the pilots, who agree to withdraw their resignations.
Faced with continuing economic downturn, the company agrees to sell three ATR72-202s to Finnair, O/Y during the second week of November.
On revenues during the 12 months of $177 million, a $67.9-million loss is suffered.
Flights continue in 1999-2000, during which years the ATR42-320s are withdrawn and replaced with three more A320-232s, six A321-131s, and six ATR72-520s. During the former year, even though Russia and Taiwan do not enjoy diplomatic relations, a bilateral air accord is concluded under which Trans Asia and Vladivostok Air are to inaugurate twice weekly roundtrips between Taipei and Vladivostok. Although the services are initially planned for May 2000, they will not in fact begin until April 30, 2001.
At the dawn of the new millennium, President Lin oversees a workforce of 1,587 and has outstanding orders for 2 ATR72-520s. Service is increased between Taipei and Kinmen Island on November 1.
TRANS ASIAN AIRLINES: Tulebaeva Str. 4, Almaty, 480016, Kazakstan; Phone 7 (3272) 301512; Fax 7 (3272) 301558; Code T7; Year Founded 1994. Trans Asian is established at Almaty in 1994 to undertake long-haul passenger flights throughout Russia and the CIS, as well as to China. Flights begin and continue with 3 Ilyushin Il-62s.
World History
