EVA Airways Corporation"; traditional Chinese: 長榮航空; simplified Chinese: 长荣航空;
pinyin: Chángróng Hángkōng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tióng-êng Hâng-khong) is a Taiwanese airline
based at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, Taiwan, operating passenger and
dedicated cargo services to over 40 international destinations in Asia, Australia, Europe and
North America. EVA Air is largely privately owned and flies a fully international route
network. It is the second largest Taiwanese airline. EVA Air is headquartered in Luzhu,
Taoyuan County. Since its founding in 1989 as an affiliate
of shipping conglomerate Evergreen Group, EVA Air has expanded to include air cargo,
airline catering, ground handling, and aviation engineering services. Its cargo arm, EVA Air
Cargo, links with the Evergreen worldwide shipping network on sea and land. Its domestic
and regional subsidiary, UNI Air, operates a medium and short-haul network based in Kaohsiung,
Taiwan. EVA Air is the 6th safest international airline in the world, with no hull losses
or fatalities since its establishment. EVA Air operates a mixed fleet of Airbus,
Boeing, and McDonnell Douglas aircraft, with Airbus A330, Boeing 747, and Boeing 777 airliners
primarily used on passenger routes, along with Boeing 747 and MD-11 freighters used
on cargo routes. The airline was one of the first carriers to introduce the premium economy
class, which it debuted in 1991. EVA Air's slogan is "Sharing the World, Flying Together."
History Launch
In September 1988, during the 20th anniversary celebration of Evergreen Marine Corporation’s
founding, company chairman Chang Yung-fa announced his company’s intentions to establish Taiwan’s
first private international airline. The opportunity to create a major Taiwanese airline had just
arisen following a decision by the Taiwanese government to liberalise the country’s air
transportation system. Government requirements still mandated global experience and financial
capital requirements for any company seeking permission to initiate international airline
service from Taiwan. Upon recipient of regulatory approval, EVA
Airways Corporation was formally established in March 1989. The airline was originally
to be called Evergreen Airways, however this was deemed too similar to the unrelated Evergreen
International cargo airline. In October 1989, the newly formed EVA Airways Corporation placed
a US$3.6 billion order for 26 aircraft from Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, including Boeing
747-400 and MD-11 airliners. Operations began on 1 July 1991 with a small
fleet of EVA Air Boeing 767-300ER aircraft featuring business and economy class seating.
Initial destinations from Taipei were Bangkok, Seoul, Jakarta, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.
By the end of the year, the EVA Air network had expanded to include additional cities
in East Asia and its first European destination, Vienna. First year revenues reached US$40
million. Expansion in the 1990s
In 1992, EVA Air received the first of its Boeing 747-400 aircraft on order, and launched
its premium economy class, "Economy Deluxe", on its 747 transpacific flights to Los Angeles,
beginning in December of that year. EVA Air's premium economy cabin, one of the first in
the airline industry, featured a wider 2-4-2 abreast configuration, legrests, individual
seatback video, and enhanced meal services. EVA Air's Economy Deluxe cabin proved popular
with the traveling public. For international services, EVA Air's 747s were configured with
104 premium economy seats as part of a 370-seat, four-class cabin, in addition to first, business
and economy classes. In 1993, EVA Air added flights to Seattle, New York, Bangkok and
Vienna with the Boeing 747-400.
By 1994, EVA Air was providing regular service to 22 destinations worldwide, and carrying
over 3 million passengers annually. In 1995, the airline posted its first profit on revenues
of US$1.05 billion, one year ahead of schedule. Internationally, EVA Air's rapid expansion
and increased passenger volume was boosted by its safety record, in contrast to its primary
competitor, China Airlines. In addition to receiving IOSA certification, EVA Air in 1997
achieved simultaneous official ISO 9002 certification in the areas of Passenger, Cargo, and Maintenance
Services. Dedicated EVA Air Cargo operations began in
April 1995, with the first weekly McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter flights to Taipei,
Singapore, Penang, San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. EVA Air Cargo's fleet was
expanded to five freighters by the end of the year. Previously, EVA Air Cargo operations
mainly relied on passenger aircraft cargo space.
In the mid–1990s, EVA Air expanded into the domestic Taiwan market by acquiring shares
in Makung International Airlines, followed by Great China Airlines and Taiwan Airways.
On 1 July 1998, all three carriers, as well as EVA's existing domestic operations, merged
under the UNI Air title. UNI Air became EVA Air's domestic intra-Taiwanese subsidiary,
operating shorthaul flights out of its base in Kaohsiung, Taiwan's southern port and second-largest
city. Maturation in the early 2000s
In 2000, EVA Air embarked on its first major long-haul fleet renewal. The airline became
one of the launch customers for the Boeing 777-300ER, ordering four aircraft plus eight
options. At the same time, the airline placed three orders for the Boeing 777-200LR. In
January 2001, EVA Air ordered its first Airbus aircraft, the A330-200. The Boeing 777 aircraft
were intended for United States and European services, while the Airbus A330 aircraft were
intended for regional Asian routes.
In 2001, EVA Air began listing public stock offerings on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. Initially,
one percent of the company's shares was offered over-the-counter, with one-quarter held by
parent company Evergreen Marine Corporation and EVA Air employees, respectively. In 2002,
EVA Air underwent internal corporate reforms, with staff reductions and streamlined management.
This culminated a process which had begun in 1997, when the Asian financial crisis began
affecting profitability. The 2002–2003 SARS contagion also affected passenger traffic
for medium-haul flights in Southeast Asia, while long-haul flights to North America,
Japan, and Europe were less affected. In 2004, EVA Air converted its remaining eight
options for Boeing 777-300ERs into firm orders. The first Boeing 777-300ER entered service
as EVA Air's new flagship aircraft in July 2005. With the arrival of its new Boeing 777s,
EVA Air launched a comprehensive revamp of its cabins, introducing lie-flat seats in
its new Premium Laurel business class cabin, and upgrading its premium economy product
to the new Elite Class cabin. The airline's A330s were introduced with two-class Premium
Laurel and Economy cabins. In December 2005, EVA Air and its associated divisions had 5,098
employees, and the airline's network spanned 40 passenger destinations worldwide, with
additional cargo destinations. Repositioning in the late 2000s
In 2007, EVA Air announced a nonstop Taipei to New York service, to be operated with its
new long-range Boeing 777-300ERs. At the same time, the airline withdrew passenger service
from Taipei to Paris. On 31 October 2008, EVA Air announced a resumption of Taipei to
Paris service with thrice-weekly passenger flights beginning 21 January 2009. In 2008,
the airline also announced the suspension of services to Auckland. The carrier also
prepared to increase direct flights to China, after initiating weekly charter flights in
July 2008 following changes to the Three Links travel agreements.
For the 2007–2008 period, EVA Air coped with a 34% surge in fuel prices, which contributed
to a US$61.2 million 2007 loss. In August 2008, EVA Air reported a second quarterly
loss due to increased fuel costs. In response, the airline implemented cost-saving measures,
including flight schedule reductions and fee increases. In early 2008, EVA Air's business
office in El Segundo, California, announced a major staff reduction, with over half the
staff advised that they would no longer be employed by May 2008. Functions performed
by those local staff were shifted to Taiwan by half, such as the reservation center.
EVA Air carried 6.2 million passengers in 2007, and employed 4,800 staff members as
of April 2008. The carrier returned to profitability in the first quarter of 2009, with a US$5.9
million net gain. In August 2010, EVA Air was named one of the top 10 international
airlines in Travel+Leisure's World's Best Awards.
Recent developments In 2010, EVA Air released a newsflash about
their service to Toronto, which began on 29 March 2010. In November 2010, EVA Air began
nonstop flights connecting the inner-city Taipei Songshan and Tokyo Haneda airports.
In 2010, Chang Kuo-wei, son of Chang Yung-fa, returned to serve as EVA Air's president,
and the carrier recorded increased sales and yearly profits. In early 2011, the carrier
announced that it had applied for airline alliance membership with Star Alliance, and
later that year clarified that it was in talks to join either Oneworld or Star Alliance by
2013. In June 2011, the carrier began nonstop flights from Taipei to Guam, and in October
2011 the carrier announced nonstop service from New York to Taipei.
On 27 March 2012, EVA Air announced that it would join Star Alliance in 2013. On 24 September
2012 EVA Air signed a partnership with Amadeus IT Group Altéa suite for its Altéa Revenue
Management system.
On 18 June 2013, EVA Air became a full member of Star Alliance.
Corporate affairs and identity Management
As of 2011, EVA Air's corporate leadership is headed by Chairman Lin Bou-shiu and President
Chang Kuo-wei. EVA Air's president plays a primary role in managing EVA's business operations.
Other members of EVA Air's board manage support and service services of the company, including
its catering and maintenance divisions. Related areas outside EVA Air's direct management
include UNI Holidays, Evergreen's Evasión travel service and Evergreen Laurel Hotels.
EVA Air has its headquarters, known as the EVA Air Building, in Luzhu, Taoyuan County.
EVA Air is largely privately owned. Primary shareholders are Evergreen Marine Corporation,
Evergreen founder Chang Yung-fa, and Evergreen International Corporation. Foreign investors
and individual stockholders combined hold 28% of EVA Air shares.
Cultural details EVA Air has differentiated its onboard service
by using Taiwanese, Mandarin, Hakka, English, and other languages for its in-flight cabin
announcements. The order of Hokkien and Mandarin has varied since the carrier's launch. EVA
Air has also used Taiwanese folk songs in its boarding music, including an orchestral
form of "Longing for Spring Wind" performed by the Evergreen Group's Evergreen Symphony
Orchestra. The carrier's aircraft and employee color scheme has at times been interpreted
by observers as support for the Pan-Green Coalition of Taiwanese politics, mainly due
to Evergreen founder Chang Yung-fa's political views in the 2000 presidential election, but
this association changed following Chang's support of the Pan-Blue Coalition in the 2004
presidential election. The carrier has further abstained from displaying official markings
of Taiwan on its aircraft, and received expedited approval of international landing rights as
a result. Branding
Name and logo The name "EVA" was taken from two letters
of "Evergreen" and the first letter of "Airways." The name "EVA" is always spelled in capital
letters. The airline uses the logo of its parent company, using green with an orange
trim. Livery and uniforms
The standard EVA Air livery utilizes dark green, signifying durability, and orange,
representing technological innovation. The tail globe logo is intended to represent stability
and reliability, and its positioning on the tail, with one corner off the edge, represents
service innovation. The EVA Air livery was updated in 2002, adding a larger typeface
and the use of green covering the aircraft below the window line. The tail design and
logo remained unchanged. Since 2003, EVA Air has adopted its current
uniform, featuring dark green dresses with cropped jackets. Chief pursers are distinguished
by orange highlights, gold bands, and orange stripes; flight attendants feature green trim
and white stripes. The current uniform replaced the former green-and-orange necktie ensembles
used in EVA Air's first twelve years. Marketing slogans
EVA Air has used different slogans throughout its operational history. The first slogan
appeared on English advertising in the United States, while the 1996 and 2003 versions were
introduced internationally in both English and Mandarin. In 2005, a second "Sharing the
world" slogan was introduced to complement the arrival of the airline's Boeing 777s.
EVA Air slogans have been as follows:
Divisions EVA Air Cargo
Founded concurrently with the passenger operations of EVA Air, EVA Air Cargo operates facilities
in Europe, Asia, and North America. Its cargo operations have diversified to include transportation
of high-tech equipment and special care items such as museum artwork and live zoological
specimens. EVA Air has stated its goal of achieving a 50/50 split in revenues between
its passenger and cargo operations. The airline's cargo operations are mainly operated via a
fleet of Boeing 747-400, MD-11 dedicated freighters, Boeing 747-400 Combi aircraft, and additional
belly cargo space on passenger aircraft. Following the establishment of its A330 fleet
and the introduction of Boeing 777 long-haul aircraft, the airline converted some of its
older Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft to freighters to meet cargo market demands. EVA
Air Cargo established its European Cargo Center in Brussels in 2003 and opened its Southern
China Cargo Center in Hong Kong in 2006. As of 2007, EVA Air Cargo has 43 weekly cargo
flights to London, Vienna, Brussels and US destinations including Los Angeles, Dallas/Ft.
Worth, Chicago, Atlanta and New York. The carrier also has code-shares with international
airlines including Air Nippon, British Airways World Cargo, Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa
Cargo. In recent years, the airline has focused its
North American cargo operations solely on point-to-point routes. By 2004, EVA Air Cargo
ranked among the world's top 10 largest air freight companies. Industry publication Air
Cargo World ranked EVA Air Cargo 6th out of 50 in its 2008 Air Cargo Excellence Survey,
a measure of cargo service customer service and performance. In 2008, EVA Air handled
the transport of two Chinese pandas, donated as a gift to the Taipei Zoo.
Maintenance and support
EVA Air service divisions further include pilot and cabin attendant training facilities,
along with its Evergreen Sky Catering and Evergreen Airline Services ground support
divisions. EVA Air has partnered with General Electric since 1998 to operate the Evergreen
Aviation Technologies Corporation, a heavy maintenance and aircraft overhaul service.
Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corporation provides safety, repair, and refit services
for EVA Air, other airlines' aircraft, and has handled the modification of four Boeing
747 Large Cargo Freighter aircraft for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner program.
Destinations
Most EVA Air flights originate out of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, its main hub
near Taipei, Taiwan. At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, EVA Air's flight operations are concentrated
in Terminal 2. Additionally, EVA Air and its domestic subsidiary UNI Air operate numerous
flights out of Kaohsiung International Airport. A focus city for EVA Air outside Taiwan is
Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, with westerly connections to all its European destinations
except for Paris. Through the mid-2000s, EVA Air's route network
was affected by the political status of Taiwan, which has historically limited access for
Taiwanese airlines to Europe and certain Asian countries. Because Taiwanese carriers did
not have direct access to China, EVA Air has used Hong Kong and Macau as interline destinations.
EVA Air operated regular charter flights to China in 2008. The airline began regularly
scheduled, direct cross-strait operations in December 2008, following the restoration
of direct travel links. Codeshare agreements
EVA Air has existing codeshare agreements with over a dozen carriers, which include
the following:
Fleet The EVA Air fleet consists of the following
aircraft:
Special liveries In October 2005, EVA Air launched a campaign
with Japanese company Sanrio to create the "Hello Kitty Jet," featuring the popular Japanese
character. Using the airline's A330-200, the exterior adopted a livery of Hello Kitty characters.
A year later, the airline launched a second Hello Kitty Jet. The aircraft featured a Hello
Kitty motif on exterior and interior fittings and features. Both planes were used to serve
Japanese destinations, and from mid–July 2007, also Taipei-Hong Kong routes. The original
Hello Kitty livery was retired in 2009, but in 2011 EVA Air announced its return in redesigned
form to mark the carrier's 20th anniversary and renew interest in Japanese tourism. For
this occasion, EVA Air had ordered brand-new Airbus A330-300s to be painted in an all-new
Hello Kitty livery. After the introduction of the "refreshed"
Hello Kitty Livery on three EVA Air A330's, EVA Air decided to introduce two additional
Hello Kitty A330 jets, launched in May and June 2012. The fourth and fifth Hello Kitty
jets are known as "Hello Kitty Speed Puff" and "Hello Kitty Happy Music" respectively.
In July 2006, EVA Air's third new Boeing 777-300ER was Boeing's center stage at the 2006 Farnborough
Airshow in a static display. The aircraft, with its special 777-300ER "Rainbow" livery,
was leased by Boeing for a week to be presented at the show. The first three EVA Air Boeing
777 aircraft featured this livery, which were phased out in 2013.
For the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition, EVA Air debuted a floral-inspired design for
its A330-200 aircraft, highlighting the carrier's official sponsorship of the event; the "Flora
Expo cabin concept" introduced interior products such as in-flight meals with a flower motif.
Fleet plans EVA Air's long-haul fleet is based on the
Boeing 777-300ER, with the carrier's initial order for 15 all delivered by 2011. In 2006,
the airline decided against its existing three Boeing 777-200LR orders, and the 777-200LR
orders were converted into 777-300ER orders. Despite the airline's focus on cargo operations,
EVA Air in 2007 indicated it had no current plans to acquire the Boeing 777 Freighter.
Instead, with the arrival of additional passenger Boeing 777 aircraft, EVA Air transferred more
Boeing 747 aircraft to freighter operations. In late 2010, EVA Air indicated it planned
to lease three A330-300 aircraft for Asian routes in 2011. In mid-2011, EVA Air announced
plans to acquire further 777-300ERs to complete the replacement of its 747-400 aircraft on
Europe and U.S. routes, along with A321 series narrow-body jets to replace its MD-90 fleet.
On 8 May 2012, EVA Air signed orders with Boeing for 3 additional 777-300ERs, and also
announced its lease of 4 more 777-300ERs from GECAS.
Services Check-in
At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, EVA Air has introduced the EVA Air Check-in Kiosks
at T2, counters 6A, allowing passengers to check in and print their boarding passes electronically,
since December 2009. The kiosks are currently available at Taiwan Taoyuan International
Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport. Over time, EVA will install these counters in airports
in China and other international EVA Air destinations. Previously, if passengers were to check in
for an EVA Air flight, they would have to go to an airline representative at the counters.
Onboard
EVA Air offers three classes of service on its long-haul flights: "Royal Laurel"/"Premium
Laurel", "Elite Class" and Economy Class. All cabins feature satellite phones, audio
video on demand entertainment, SMS service, and in select Boeing 777 cabins, mood lighting.
Domestic and short-haul international services flown by EVA Air and UNI Air MD-90 aircraft
also feature a short-haul business class. In the latter half of 2007, EVA Air's Boeing
747-400 fleet was upgraded to feature the airline's latest seating classes; the addition
of Premium Laurel class on the Boeing 747-400 succeeded the previous "Super First" and "Super
Business" cabins. In early 2012, EVA Air officials unveiled a redesigned "Royal Laurel" business
class, including 180-degree, fully flat seats in herringbone layout, which was first introduced
on Boeing 777-300ER services in June 2012 between Taipei and New York.
Cabin classes In May 2012, EVA Air announced to introduce
a new business class product on select, redesigned Boeing 777-300ER aircraft: Royal Laurel class.
The cabin features 38 180° lie-flat bed seats in a reverse herringbone configuration pitched
at 2,000 and 650 mm wide. Laptop power and multi-port connectors are available at each
seat. The Royal Laurel class seating arrangement is in a 1–2–1 abreast arrangement. The
airline is offering the service with these redesigned B777s on the TPE-JFK route, and
gradually offering the service for LAX, SFO, YYZ, CDG, AMS and LHR routes by 2013. Cabin
upgrades are projected to be completed August 2013.
Premium Laurel, EVA Air's existing business class cabin, was introduced in 2003 with the
A330-200, and expanded to more destinations with the Boeing 777-300ER in 2005 and refitted
Boeing 747-400 in 2007. Seats are pitched at 1,549 mm in Premium Laurel in a pod-style
layout, and can convert to an angled lie-flat bed. Laptop power is available. Premium Laurel
class seating is in a 2–2–2 abreast arrangement on the Boeing 777, Boeing 747, and A330. In
the 747 Combi there are recliner seats with 1,120 mm seat pitch and there is no in-seat
power.
Elite Class, EVA Air's premium economy product, is offered in a dedicated cabin on the Boeing
777 and 747. Elite Class has wider seating and legroom, and a seat similar to short-haul
business class with an extendable legrest, 970 to 1,020 mm pitch, adjustable winged
headrests, and laptop power. Service levels in Elite Class are similar to Economy Class,
but food and amenities are improved, along with the seating. Elite passengers further
receive an amenity kit on most flights. This class is equipped with all B777-300ER, B747-400,
B747-400 Combi models. Economy Class is available on all EVA Air
aircraft, featuring 840 mm pitch, touchscreen personal entertainment screens, sliding seat
cushions, and adjustable winged headrests. Each seat is also equipped with a personal
handset satellite telephone which can be used with a credit card. Economy seating is in
3–3–3 arrangement on the Boeing 777, 3–4–3 as well as 3–3 on the MD90, A321 & Boeing
747 upper deck, and 2–4–2 on the A330. In Economy Class of the Boeing 747-400 Combi,
A321 and MD 90, there is no personal entertainment. In-flight entertainment
EVA Air's audio video on demand entertainment system, Star Gallery, is available in all
classes, except Boeing 747-400 Combi and MD-90 aircraft. This system has 40 movies and short
features, interactive games, and over 100 music albums. Programs are mainly in Mandarin
and English, with some selections in Japanese, German and French.
Sky Gallery entertainment categories include such areas as Sky Hollywood, Sky Concert Hall,
Kids' World, among others. The Panasonic Avionics 3000i system can display Mandarin, English,
or Japanese text. Since 2005, customers can also send SMS text messages and emails to
the ground using their personal handsets and seatback screens. On Boeing 747-400 Combi,
non-AVOD personal entertainment screens are available in Super Business Class and Evergreen
Deluxe. Seatback video is not available on the MD-90s and in Economy Class on Boeing
747-400 Combi aircraft. enVoyage is EVA's inflight magazine and features
articles in English, Mandarin and Japanese. EVA Air's duty-free shopping brochure, EVA
Air Sky Shop, is included at each seat in either paper or video form, with sales occurring
in-flight, typically after meal services. EVA Air also stocks a supply of newspapers
and magazine publications on international flights, selection depending on route.
Catering EVA Air offers a variety of meals on intercontinental
routes, depending on seat class, destination and flight length. Western and Eastern menu
selections are typically offered, including seasonal menu selections varied by destination.
Special meal offerings can be requested in each class during booking, including children's,
religious, vegetarian, and other meals. In Royal Laurel and Premium Laurel Class,
passengers can pre-order gourmet entreés, depending on destination, including specialties
produced by Din Tai Fung, the award-winning Taiwanese restaurant. Premium Laurel cabins
on the Boeing 777 also feature an in-flight refreshment bar, and European wine selections
are served. EVA Air Lounges
EVA Air operates airline lounges, under the brand name EVA Air Lounge, in major destination
airports. Passengers eligible to enter these facilities include first and business class
passengers, Infinity MileageLands Diamond, Gold, and Silver card holders, Star Alliance
Gold members, and airlines who have contracted the lounge facilities.
EVA Air's four flagship lounges, located at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are:
The Garden The Infinity
The Star The Club by EVA Air.
EVA Air lounge services typically include refreshments, business facilities, and television
and reading entertainment. The lounge at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Terminal 2,
has separate eating facilities at different levels; a check-in facility is reserved for
Diamond card holders. EVA Air also operates EVA Air Lounges at Bangkok
International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and Kaohsiung International Airport.
Infinity MileageLands EVA Air's frequent flyer program, Infinity
MileageLands, awards members points based on miles traveled and class of service. Infinity
MileageLands points are redeemable for upgrades and free tickets, and can also be accumulated
through credit card use, rental car agencies, Evergreen Laurel Hotels, and other participating
services. Membership benefits include a dedicated reservation line, Evergreen Lounge access,
additional baggage allowance with priority handling, and discounts on car rentals and
hotels. Membership into the program is free. The program
is divided into four tiers: Green, Silver, Gold, and Diamond. Infinity MileageLands privileges
are additive by membership tier, with higher tiers including all benefits listed for prior
tiers. The program accepts miles flown on partner airlines and Star Alliance partners
such as All Nippon Airways and United Airlines, provided that the flights are booked and logged
according to EVA Air frequent flier rules. Co-branded American Express, Citibank, and
Diners Club cards can also earn miles. Qualification levels and general benefits are listed on
the EVA Air website. Safety
To date, EVA Air has not had any aircraft losses or passenger fatalities in its operational
history. As of 21 January 2014, EVA Air is ranked number 5 out of more than 800 individual
airlines by Aero International, a German monthly devoted to civil aviation.
See also
Air transport in Taiwan List of airports in Taiwan
List of companies of Taiwan Transportation in Taiwan
References
External links Official website
Official website EVA Air mobile website
Archived website at the Wayback Machine