EVA Airways has become the first Taiwanese carrier to operate flights over Siberia after seven years of discussions between the Taiwanese and Russian authorities.
The carrier launched non-stop services to Paris from Taipei on 2 March soon after securing the overflight rights, replacing services operated since 1993 via Dubai. Paris flights now take 14h and 10min, it says, compared with18h and 20min previously .
In September 1997 the Taiwanese and Russian authorities said a bilateral agreement had been signed that would lead to the launch of the first flights in March 1998 but no services were ever inaugurated, partly because China Airlines wanted rights to operate beyond Moscow to other European cities, starting with Frankfurt.
Russia refused to initial any sort of air accord with Taiwan until 1997 for fear that it would upset China, which regards the island as a renegade province.
Source: Flight International
