Taipei, May 26 (CNA) China Airlines (CAL) on Friday launched flights to Japan on an aircraft featuring three cartoon bears that represent Taiwan's Tourism Bureau and Kaohsiung City as well as the Japanese prefecture of Kumamoto.
Dubbed "Buddy Bears," the jet decorated with images of "Oh!Bear," "Hero" and "Kumamon", which are mascots for the Tourism Bureau, Kaohsiung City, and Kumamoto Prefecture respectively, carried 158 passengers to the Japanese prefecture on its maiden flight.
CAL is the only Taiwanese carrier that flies to the prefecture.
The Boeing 737-800 plane will provide three round-trip flights per week between Kaohsiung and Kumamoto, CAL said.
In the future, the aircraft will also fly from Kaohsiung to Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa, it said.
The airline said the debut of "Buddy Bears" plane is part of its goal of elevating its presence in Kaohsiung and developing the market for Japan-bound departures from the port city in southern Taiwan, thanks to strong demand there.
According to the airline, the five Japanese destinations it flies to from Kaohsiung -- Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, Kumamoto, Okinawa -- have all achieved load-factors of up to 80 percent during the peak season.
Passengers flying on the decorated plane will be offered an array of products with a bear theme, including paw-shaped cookies for business class passengers, and bear-print wet tissue and headrest covers in the economy class cabin.
CAL is hoping the popular bears will help it attract passengers on the flights.
