On September 2, StarFlyer resumed regular international flights between its home base of Kitakyushu and Taoyuan (Taipei) for the first time in six and a half years. On the same day, the Kitakyushu Airport Promotion Council and the airline held a ceremony at Kitakyushu Airport to celebrate the resumption of service.
StarFlyer’s Kitakyushu–Taoyuan Route (October 25, 2026–March 27, 2027)
Flight 7G801: Departs Kitakyushu (11:50 p.m.) – Arrives Taoyuan (1:30 a.m. the following day); operates on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
Flight 7G800: Departs Taoyuan (3:00 a.m.) – Arrives in Kitakyushu (6:15 a.m.); operates on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays
At the central plaza on the second floor of the Kitakyushu Airport Passenger Terminal Building, which served as the venue for the ceremony, the heads of the local governments that make up the Kitakyushu Airport Promotion Council were in attendance.
Fukuoka Prefecture Vice Governor Tetsuko Ueda stated, “Kitakyushu Airport celebrated its 20th anniversary this past March. In this commemorative year, I am delighted that StarFlyer—which has its headquarters at Kitakyushu Airport—is resuming flights to Taipei for the first time in about six and a half years. I believe this marks a major step toward the recovery of international passenger routes, which have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said in her congratulatory remarks.
Next, Kazuhisa Takeuchi, Mayor of Kitakyushu, said, “We are marking the 20th anniversary of the airport’s opening and reaching a major milestone—the extension of the runway to 3,000 meters—which many of you have been looking forward to.”
At the same time, relations between Taiwan and Japan—particularly Kyushu—are more vibrant than ever. These flights also take advantage of Kitakyushu Airport’s 24-hour operation.
We have business leaders here with us today, and the ties between Taiwan and Kyushu—particularly in the semiconductor industry—as well as those between Taiwan and Kitakyushu, are stronger than ever.
“Passenger traffic at Kitakyushu Airport has also been recovering since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. To further build on this momentum, we intend to take full advantage of this resumption of flights and continue to grow it,” he said.
Osamu Machida, Representative Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer of StarFlyer, stated, “Our Kitakyushu–Taoyuan (Taipei) route began operations in October 2018, but service has been suspended since March 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Now, some six and a half years later, I am both delighted and deeply humbled to once again be able to operate this flight as an “air bridge” connecting Kitakyushu and Taiwan.
We believe this route will allow travelers to make the most of their time in the area and will be highly convenient not only for tourists but also for business travelers.
In addition, we will continue to provide the comfortable, high-quality flying experience that only StarFlyer can offer, including light meals and beverages that let you experience the unique charm of Kyushu while on board.
“I hope this route will be widely used not only by visitors from Taiwan to Kyushu but also by residents of the region, including those in Kitakyushu, and that it will lead to further development of tourism, business, and people-to-people exchanges between the two regions,” he said.
Finally, congratulatory messages were read aloud, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the breaking of a celebratory paper ball, bringing the ceremony to a close. Commemorative gifts were prepared for passengers boarding the first flight departing at 11:40 p.m. bound for Taoyuan (Taipei). On international flights only, “Dassai Junmai Daiginjo 45 Nigori Sparkling” will be served on board.
© Source travel watch