Aviation History
Modern civil aviation in Taiwan developed after 1949, when the Republic of China government relocated to the island, with China Airlines founded in 1959 as the state-linked flag carrier. Taipei's Songshan Airport, originally developed during the Japanese colonial era, served as the main gateway until Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (now Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport) opened in 1979. EVA Air launched in 1989 as Taiwan's first major private carrier, introducing innovations such as a dedicated Premium Economy cabin. China Airlines underwent a serious safety crisis in the 1990s before a well-documented turnaround, and both major carriers later joined global alliances. Taiwan is now a significant hub for trans-Pacific and intra-Asia air traffic.
China Airlines is established on 16 December with two amphibious aircraft, becoming Taiwan's flag carrier.
China Airlines starts Boeing 707 service to San Francisco via Tokyo, its first trans-Pacific jet route.
Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (renamed Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in 2006) opens, becoming Taiwan's principal international gateway.
EVA Air is established as Taiwan's first major privately owned international carrier, beginning service in 1991.
A series of fatal accidents through 2002 prompts major restructuring of China Airlines' training, maintenance and safety systems.
EVA Air launches one of the world's first dedicated Premium Economy cabins, an innovation later widely adopted industry-wide.
China Airlines becomes the first Taiwanese carrier to join a major global airline alliance.
EVA Air becomes a full member of Star Alliance, expanding its global network reach.
China Airlines · EVA Air · UNI Air · Mandarin Airlines · STARLUX Airlines · Tigerair Taiwan
Compiled from public/encyclopedic sources including Wikipedia and airline corporate histories; some early Japanese colonial-era airfield details are less precisely documented.