View source for Mandarin Airlines

{{Short description|Regional airline of Taiwan}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Mandarin Airlines <br />{{nobold|{{lang|zh-hant|華信航空}}}}
| logo = Mandarin Airlines logo.svg
| logo_size = 200
| image = [[File:B-16852.jpg|Mandarin Airlines ATR 72|250px]]
| caption = Mandarin Airlines [[ATR 72-600]] landing
| fleet_size = 13
| destinations = 34
| IATA = AE
| ICAO = MDA
| callsign = MANDARIN
| parent = [[China Airlines Group]]
| company_slogan = 
| founded = {{start date and age|1991|06|01|df=yes|br=yes}}
| commenced = {{start date and age|1991|10|16|df=yes|br=yes}}
| ceased = 
| headquarters = [[Songshan District, Taipei|Songshan]], [[Taipei]], [[Taiwan]]
| key_people = Kao Shing Hwang ([[Chairman]])
| hubs = {{nowrap|[[Taipei Songshan Airport|Taipei–Songshan]]}}
| focus_cities = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Kaohsiung International Airport|Kaohsiung]]
  | [[Taichung International Airport|Taichung]]}}
| secondary_hubs = 
| frequent_flyer = Dynasty Flyer
| lounge = 
| alliance = {{nowrap|[[SkyTeam]] (affiliate)}}
| subsidiaries = 
| website = {{URL|www.mandarin-airlines.com}}
}}

'''Mandarin Airlines''' ({{zh|first=t|t=華信航空|s=华信航空|p=Huáxìn Hángkōng}}) is a Taiwanese [[regional airline]] based in [[Taipei]], [[Taiwan]] whose parent company is [[China Airlines]]. The airline operates domestic and regional international flights, while its parent company focuses on international operations.  Some charter services are also operated by the company. Its main bases are [[Songshan Airport]], [[Taichung International Airport]] and [[Kaohsiung International Airport]].

==History==
[[File:Boeing 747SP-09, Mandarin Airlines AN0193867.jpg|thumb|A [[Boeing 747SP]] landing at [[Kai Tak Airport]] in [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] in December 1996. The 747-SP was one of the first aircraft in the fleet and was acquired from [[China Airlines]].]]

Mandarin Airlines was established on 1 June 1991, and was initially a joint venture by [[China Airlines]] (67%) and [[Koos Group]] (33%); the Chinese name of the company is formed by the combination of the two.<ref name="MandarinHistory">"[http://www.mandarin-airlines.com/en/about_us_mandarin.htm About Us]." ''Mandarin Airlines''. Retrieved on 7 March 2010.</ref> The establishment of Mandarin Airlines is closely related to the [[political status of Taiwan]]. At the time, Mandarin Airlines' parent company, China Airlines, still served as the [[flag carrier]] of the [[Republic of China]], with the [[flag of the Republic of China]] a part of its livery. Denying the existence of the Taipei government, the [[People's Republic of China]] hence attempted to boycott the international presence of China Airlines, using [[trade barriers]] to achieve its political goal. However, PRC's objection did not extend to other Taiwanese carriers not carrying the ROC flag. As a way to work around these limits, Mandarin Airlines was founded while China Airlines maintained its role as the flag carrier.

On 16 October 1991, Mandarin Airlines started operations with direct flights from Taipei to [[Sydney]] in [[Australia]]. The next step was the opening of a direct air route to [[Vancouver]] in [[Canada]] on 7 December 1991. Thus, Mandarin Airlines became [[Republic of China|Taiwan]]'s first airline to fly direct to Australia and Canada.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}} The China Trust Group pulled its investment in Mandarin Airlines on 31 October 1992, turning the airline into a company virtually wholly owned by China Airlines (90.05%) by December 1992. Also, Mandarin Airlines' role was changed to that of a primary domestic and short-range intra-regional airline,<ref name="MandarinHistory"/> after parent China Airlines was able to re-establish its emphasis on international routes, due to a new livery that did not include the national flag, and thus faced less objection from the PRC.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}}

On 8 August 1999, China Airlines formally merged its subsidiary, Mandarin Airlines, with [[Formosa Airlines]] under the Mandarin name. Mandarin took over Formosa's domestic operations and aircraft while Mandarin's fleet and most of its international flights were transferred to China Airlines.<ref name="MandarinHistory"/> In early 2000, the airline bought 5 [[Dornier 228]] aircraft from [[Uni Air]] to fly outlying routes. These planes were sold to [[Daily Air]] in 2005, a helicopter carrier in Taiwan which had won the bid to fly these money-losing routes.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}}

Mandarin Airlines is owned by [[China Airlines]] (93.99%) and has 630 employees (as of March 2007).<ref name="FI">{{Cite news|title=Directory: World Airlines|work= [[Flight International]]|page= 47|date=2007-04-10}}</ref>

==Corporate affairs==
[[File:China Airlines Minquan Building 20131031.jpg|thumb|China Airlines Minquan Building, which houses the headquarters of Mandarin Airlines]]

===Headquarters===
The headquarters is currently in [[Songshan District, Taipei]].<ref>"[http://www.mandarin-airlines.com/english/index.html Home]." Mandarin Airlines. Retrieved on 8 August 2014. "{{lang|zh-Hant|台北總公司: 10548台北市敦化北路405巷123弄3號}} Head Office:  No.3,  Alley 123, Lane 405 Tunhwa N. Rd., Taipei, 10548 Taiwan"</ref> Previously the headquarters was in a different building in Taipei.<ref>"[http://www.mandarin-airlines.com/english/contactus.htm Contact Us]." Mandarin Airlines. Retrieved on 15 March 2010. "{{lang|zh-Hant|台北總公司: 105台北市民生東路三段134號13樓}}."</ref>

===Corporate design===
The airline uses ''Hai Tung Ching'' ({{zh|first=t|t=海東青|s=海东青|p=Hǎidōngqīng|labels=no}}), a [[gyrfalcon]] from a Chinese legend, as its [[Airline liveries and logos|logo]].<ref>"[http://www.mandarin-airlines.com/en/about_us_cis.htm Our business mark and concept of operations]." ''Mandarin Airlines''.</ref>

==Destinations==
{{As of|2024|06}}, Mandarin Airlines flies (or has flown) to the following destinations;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mandarin-airlines.com/Content/Route%20Maps-2016100006-90|title=Route Maps|publisher=Mandarin Airlines}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.alternativeairlines.com/mandarin-airlines|title=Mandarin Airlines flies to over 30 destinations|publisher=mandarinairlines}}</ref> destinations in China may include scheduled charter service or indirect routing which transit through other countries:

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Country
!City
!Airport
!Notes
! class="unsortable"|Refs
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Australia]]||[[Brisbane]]||[[Brisbane Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Sydney]]||[[Sydney Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Canada]]||[[Vancouver]]||[[Vancouver International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan=15|[[China]]||[[Changchun]]||[[Changchun Longjia International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Changsha]]||[[Changsha Huanghua International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Fuzhou]]||[[Fuzhou Changle International Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Hangzhou]]||[[Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Jieyang]]||[[Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Lijiang]]||[[Lijiang Sanyi International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/249875/mandarin-airlines-ends-taipei-lijiang-route-in-late-july-2015/|title=Mandarin Airlines ends Lijiang service|publisher=Routesonline}}</ref>
|-
|[[Nanjing]]||[[Nanjing Lukou International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Ningbo]]||[[Ningbo Lishe International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Shenyang]]||[[Shenyang Taoxian International Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Wenzhou]]||[[Wenzhou Longwan International Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Wuhan]]||[[Wuhan Tianhe International Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Wuxi]]||[[Sunan Shuofang International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Xiamen]]||[[Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Yancheng]]||[[Yancheng Nanyang International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Zhengzhou]]||[[Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Germany]]||[[Frankfurt]]||[[Frankfurt Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Hong Kong]]||rowspan=2|Hong Kong||[[Hong Kong International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Kai Tak Airport]]||{{Terminated|Airport closed}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan=4|[[Japan]]||[[Ishigaki, Okinawa|Ishigaki]]||[[New Ishigaki Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Ōita, Ōita|Ōita]]||[[Oita Airport]] <sup>Charter</sup>||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Osaka]]||[[Kansai International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Tokyo]]||[[Narita International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Macau]]||Macau||[[Macau International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Netherlands]]||[[Amsterdam]]||[[Amsterdam Airport Schiphol]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan=3|[[Philippines]]||[[Cebu]]||[[Mactan–Cebu International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/245965/china-airlines-group-adds-cebu-charter-service-from-jan-2015/?highlight=Mandarin%20Airlines%20Cebu|title=China Airlines Group Adds Cebu Charter Service from Jan 2015|website=www.routesonline.com|date=9 December 2014|access-date=21 February 2021}}</ref>
|-
|[[Kalibo]]||[[Kalibo International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center| 
|-
|[[Laoag]]||[[Laoag International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/77474/mandarin-airlines-keeps-kaohsiung-laoag-in-s10/?highlight=Mandarin%20Airlines%20Laoag|title=Mandarin Airlines keeps Kaohsiung – Laoag in S10|website=www.routeonline.com|date=7 May 2010|access-date=21 February 2021}}</ref>
|-
|[[South Korea]]||[[Seoul]]||[[Incheon International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan=9|[[Taiwan]]||[[Hualien City|Hualien]]||[[Hualien Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Kaohsiung]]||[[Kaohsiung International Airport]]||{{Airline focus}}||align=center| 
|-
|[[Kinmen]]||[[Kinmen Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center| 
|-
|[[Nangan, Lienchiang|Nangan]]||[[Nangan Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center| 
|-
|[[Penghu]]||[[Penghu Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center| 
|-
|[[Taichung]]||[[Taichung International Airport]]||{{Airline focus}}||align=center| 
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Taipei]]||[[Songshan Airport]]||{{Airline hub}}||align=center|
|-
|[[Taoyuan International Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Taitung City|Taitung]]||[[Taitung Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|-
|[[Thailand]]||[[Bangkok]]||[[Don Mueang International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Vietnam]]||[[Hanoi]]||[[Noi Bai International Airport]]||{{Terminated}}||align=center|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/281792/mandarin-airlines-s19-taichung-hanoi-frequency-changes/|title = Mandarin Airlines S19 Taichung – Hanoi frequency changes}}</ref>
|-
|[[Ho Chi Minh City]]||[[Tan Son Nhat International Airport]]||align=center| ||align=center|
|}

===Interline agreements===
Mandarin Airlines has [[interline agreement]]s with the following airlines:

* [[Singapore Airlines]]
===Codeshare agreements===
Mandarin Airlines has [[codeshare agreement]]s with the following airlines:

* [[China Airlines]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Mandarin Airlines Expands China Airlines Codeshare From late-May 2025|url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/250512-aecicodeshare}}</ref>
* [[China Eastern Airlines]]
* [[China Southern Airlines]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Partner Airlines' Benefit|url=https://skypearl.csair.com/en/about/youxiang.html|website=China Southern Airlines}}</ref>
* [[XiamenAir]]

== Fleet ==
=== Current fleet ===
[[File:Mandarin Airlines ATR72-600 2019-10-27.jpg|thumb|Mandarin Airlines [[ATR 72-600]]]]

{{As of|2025|11}}, Mandarin Airlines operates the following aircraft:<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Global Airline Guide 2025 - Mandarin Airlines |magazine=Airliner World |date=September 2025 |page=76}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|+ Mandarin Airlines fleet
|-
!rowspan="2"|Aircraft
!rowspan="2" style="width:30pt;"|In<br>service
!rowspan="2" style="width:25pt;"|Orders
!colspan="3"|Passengers
!rowspan="2"|Notes
|-
!style="width:25px;"|<abbr title="Business Class">C</abbr>
!style="width:25px;"|<abbr title="Economy Class">Y</abbr>
!style="width:30px;"|Total
|-
|[[ATR 72-600]]
|10
|3
|&mdash;
|70
|70
|Deliveries until 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atraircraft.com/newsroom/pressrelease/taiwans-mandarin-airlines-buys-six-atr-72-600s-1457-en.html|title=Taiwan's Mandarin Airlines buys six ATR 72-600s|website=ATR Aircraft|date=18 July 2017|access-date=21 July 2017|archive-date=22 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122171902/http://www.atraircraft.com/newsroom/pressrelease/taiwans-mandarin-airlines-buys-six-atr-72-600s-1457-en.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/128815-taiwans-mandarin-airlines-orders-six-atr72-600s|title=Taiwan's Mandarin Airlines buys six ATR 72-600s|website=Ch-Aviation|date=20 June 2023}}</ref>
|-
|[[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]]
|1
|&mdash;
|8
|150
|158
|
|-
!Total
!13
!3
!colspan="4"|
|}

===Fleet development===
Mandarin Airlines announced the lease of eight [[Embraer E190]] aircraft from [[GE Commercial Aviation Services]] in December 2005 to replace the aging [[Fokker 50]] and [[Fokker 100]]s in its fleet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mandarin-airlines.com/en/enews_608.htm|title=華信航空 Mandarin Airlines|access-date=2007-01-17|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103191458/http://www.mandarin-airlines.com/en/enews_608.htm|archive-date=3 January 2007}}</ref> Mandarin Airlines' E190's featured a refreshed livery, with the first aircraft delivered in May 2007, becoming the first, and to date the only, Taiwanese airline to use this type of aircraft.<ref>[http://www.atwonline.com/news/other.html?issueDate=5/15/2007 Air Transport World] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929092001/http://www.atwonline.com/news/other.html?issueDate=5%2F15%2F2007|date=2007-09-29}} 15 May 2007</ref> On 27 October 2009, Mandarin Airlines retired its last Fokker 100 aircraft, ending this type's 14-year service with the airline.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2009/new/oct/28/today-center11.htm |script-title=zh:華信FK-100機隊 光榮除役|work=[[Liberty Times]] |language=zh-tw |date=2009-10-28 |access-date=18 November 2018}}</ref> On 19 July 2017, Mandarin Airlines placed orders for six ATR 72-600 aircraft to be delivered in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dron |first=Alan|url=http://atwonline.com/airframes/taiwans-mandarin-airlines-opts-atr-72-600s |title=Taiwan's Mandarin Airlines opts for ATR 72-600s|website=atwonline.com |date=19 July 2017|access-date=20 July 2017}}</ref>

=== Former fleet ===
[[File:Mandarin Airlines Boeing 747SP-09; B-1862@HKG, December 1996 BIV (5618627457).jpg|right|thumb|A former Mandarin Airlines [[Boeing 747SP]] in 1996]]
[[File:17ao - Mandarin Airlines MD-11; N489GX@ZRH;30.03.1998 (8297555341).jpg|thumb|A former Mandarin Airlines [[McDonnell Douglas MD-11]] in 1998]]
[[File:AMSTERDAM APRIL 2000 MANDARIN AIRLINES BOEING 747-400 B-16801.jpg|thumb|A former Mandarin Airlines [[Boeing 747-400]] in 2000]]
In the past, Mandarin Airlines has previously operated the following aircraft:

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|+Mandarin Airlines former fleet
|-
!Aircraft
!Total
!Introduced
!Retired
!Notes
|-
|[[Airbus A340-300]]
|1
|2006
|2007
|
|-
|[[Boeing 737-800]]
|6
|2000
|2019
|Returned to [[China Airlines]].
|-
|[[Boeing 747-400]]
|1
|1995
|2000
|Transferred to [[China Airlines]].
|-
|[[Boeing 747SP]]
|4
|1991
|2004
|
|-
|[[Dornier 228]]
|4
|2000
|2005
|
|-
|[[Embraer E190]]
|8
|2007
|2021
|
|-
|[[Fokker 50]]
|7
|1999
|2008
|
|-
|[[Fokker 100]]
|6
|1999
|2009
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-11]]
|5
|1993
|2002
|
|-
|[[Saab 340]]
|1
|1999
|2000
|Transferred to [[Golden Air]].
|}

==Accidents and incidents==
As 2024, Mandarin Airlines was involved in two incidents with no hull loss and fatalities. One [[McDonnell Douglas MD-11]] which wore Mandarin Airlines' livery [[China Airlines Flight 642|crashed]] while landing at [[Hong Kong International Airport]] on August 22, 1999, resulting in three fatalities, but it was withdrawn from Mandarin Airlines three months before the crash and operated by [[China Airlines]] upon the crash.

*On December 6, 2006, Mandarin Airlines Flight 1261 flew from Taipei to Kinmen. After a normal landing at Kinmen Airport, it was found that a wheel of the front landing gear had fallen off. Later, the wheel was found next to the runway of Songshan Airport. There were no casualties.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

*On 17 August 2012, Mandarin Airlines Flight 369 experienced a runway excursion during heavy rain due to improper landing and deceleration technique on runway 20 at Magong Airport. The E-190 aircraft was intentionally steered off the side of the runway and struck the base of four concrete runway lights, causing the nose gear to collapse. No injuries were reported.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.aviation-safety.net/2013/09/14/report-long-touchdown-of-erj-190-on-wet-runway-causes-runway-excursion-and-nosegear-collapse/|title=Report: Long touchdown of ERJ-190 on wet runway causes runway excursion and nosegear collapse - ASN News|work=ASN News |date=14 September 2013|access-date=18 November 2018 |last1=Ranter |first1=Harro }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of airlines of Taiwan]]
* [[Transport in Taiwan#Air transport|Air transport in Taiwan]]
* [[List of airports in Taiwan]]
* [[List of companies of Taiwan]]
* [[Transportation in Taiwan]]
* [[China Airlines]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category inline|Mandarin Airlines}}
*[http://www.mandarin-airlines.com/english/index.htm Mandarin Airlines]
*[http://www.mandarin-airlines.com/ Mandarin Airlines] {{in lang|zh}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930190449/http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=AE&al_op=1 Mandarin Airlines fleet]

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[[Category:Airlines of Taiwan]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1991]]
[[Category:Government-owned airlines]]
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