Taipei: Taiwan’s four major international carriers — China Airlines (CAL), EVA Airways (EVA Air), Starlux Airlines, and Tigerair Taiwan — all reported record sales for October, driven by three holiday weekends during the month.

According to Focus Taiwan, CAL’s consolidated sales for October rose 5.7 percent from a year earlier to NT$18.11 billion (US$584 million), benefiting from increased passenger demand during the holidays. The month featured three long weekends: the Oct. 4-6 Mid-Autumn Festival weekend, the Oct. 10-12 National Day weekend, and the Oct. 25-26 Taiwan Restoration Day weekend.

CAL reported sales from its passenger flights rose 8.98 percent year-over-year to NT$10.99 billion, marking an October high. Demand for flights to Australia was particularly strong, with the load factor on these routes exceeding 90 percent. Travel demand to Japan and South Korea was also robust, with about 90 percent of seats to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Seoul, and Busan booked for November.

Taiwan’s exports in AI servers and electronic items continued to perform well in October, pushing CAL’s cargo revenue up 3.32 percent from a year earlier to NT$5.55 billion. CAL anticipates continued growth in cargo revenue as the fourth quarter is traditionally a peak season.

EVA Air reported a 3.66 percent year-over-year increase in October sales to NT$18.90 billion. Passenger and cargo services generated NT$11.95 billion and NT$4.70 billion, respectively. The holiday weekends enhanced passenger sales, with the load factor to European destinations reaching nearly 90 percent. AI server and semiconductor shipments also bolstered cargo revenue.

Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, saw a 19 percent increase in consolidated sales from a year earlier, reaching approximately NT$3.70 billion. Tigerair Taiwan, the country’s only low-cost carrier, reported consolidated sales of NT$1.57 billion, up 20.3 percent from the previous year, with its average load factor surpassing 86 percent.