EVA Air facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
EVA Air
長榮航空

Founded	8 March 1989; 36 years ago (1989-03-08)
Commenced operations	1 July 1991; 33 years ago (1991-07-01)
Hubs	Taipei–Taoyuan
Focus cities	Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi Kaohsiung Taipei–Songshan
Frequent-flyer program	Infinity MileageLands
Alliance	Star Alliance
Subsidiaries	UNI Air
Fleet size	85
Destinations	62 (incl. cargo)
Parent company	Evergreen Group
Headquarters	376, Hsin-Nan Rd., Sec. 1, Luzhu, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
Key people	Lin Bou-Shiu (Chairman) Chen Hsien-Hung (President)
Revenue	NT$127,142,232,000
Operating income	NT$17,028,465
Net income	NT$8,146,909,000
Profit	NT$7,091,299,000
Total assets	NT$294,048,935,000
Total equity	NT$87,936,555,000
Employees	10,377 (31 December 2022)

EVA Airways Corporation, often called EVA Air, is a big international airline from Taiwan. It's based in Taoyuan City. It's one of the two largest airlines in Taiwan, along with China Airlines. EVA Air is a private company that flies passengers and cargo to over 40 places around the world, including Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. All its flights are international; it doesn't fly within Taiwan itself.

EVA Air is known for being a top-quality airline, earning a 5-star rating from Skytrax. It's part of the Evergreen Group, which is a huge shipping company. Since it started in 1989, EVA Air has grown to include air cargo, airplane food services, ground handling (helping planes on the ground), and even aircraft engineering. Its cargo part, EVA Air Cargo, works closely with Evergreen's global shipping network. EVA Air also has a smaller airline called UNI Air that handles flights within Taiwan and to nearby places like Macau and mainland China.

The airline uses a mix of Airbus and Boeing planes. For passengers, they use planes like the Airbus A330, Airbus A321, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787. For cargo, they use Boeing 777F planes. EVA Air was one of the first airlines to offer a special "Premium Economy" class, which they started in 1991. Their main office is at Taoyuan International Airport in Luzhu, Taoyuan City. Their slogan is "Sharing the World, Flying Together."

History of EVA Air

Starting the Airline

EVA Air began commercial services in 1991 with the Boeing 767-300ER.

In September 1988, the chairman of Evergreen Marine Corporation, Chang Yung-fa, announced that his company wanted to start Taiwan's first private international airline. This was possible because the Taiwanese government decided to allow more private companies to run international flights.

EVA Airways Corporation officially started in March 1989. It was almost called Evergreen Airways, but that name was too similar to another cargo airline. In October 1989, EVA Airways ordered 26 planes from Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, costing about US$3.6 billion.

Flights began on July 1, 1991, with a few Boeing 767-300ER planes. These planes had both business and economy class seats. The first places they flew to from Taipei were Bangkok, Seoul, Jakarta, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. By the end of that year, EVA Air also started flying to its first European city, Vienna.

Growing in the 1990s

In 1992, EVA Air received its first Boeing 747-400 planes. They also launched a new type of seating called "Economy Deluxe" (now called Premium Economy) on their flights across the Pacific Ocean to Los Angeles. This was a big deal because it was one of the first premium economy cabins in the world. It offered wider seats, legrests, and personal video screens.

An EVA Air Boeing 747-400 in the airline's first standard livery (1992–2001).

By 1994, EVA Air flew to 22 cities worldwide and carried over 3 million passengers each year. In 1995, the airline made its first profit. EVA Air also earned important safety and quality certifications, like IOSA and ISO 9002.

EVA Air Cargo, the airline's cargo division, started its own flights in April 1995 using McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter planes. Before this, cargo was mostly carried in the belly of passenger planes.

In the mid-1990s, EVA Air also grew in Taiwan by buying parts of other airlines. On July 1, 1998, these airlines merged with EVA's existing domestic flights to form UNI Air. UNI Air became EVA Air's airline for shorter flights within Taiwan and to nearby places.

Developing in the 2000s

In 2000, EVA Air decided to update its long-haul fleet. They ordered new Boeing 777-300ER and A330-200 planes. The Boeing 777s were for flights to the United States and Europe, while the Airbus A330s were for flights around Asia.

EVA Air's long-haul flagship, the Boeing 777-300ER, landing at Beijing Capital International Airport from Taipei. EVA Air started offering regular cross-strait flights on routes such as this in 2008.

In 2001, EVA Air started selling its shares on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. In 2005, the first Boeing 777-300ER planes began flying. With these new planes, EVA Air also introduced new and improved cabins, including lie-flat seats in their "Premium Laurel" business class.

In 2007, EVA Air started nonstop flights from Taipei to New York using its new Boeing 777-300ERs. They also started increasing direct flights to China in 2008, after travel rules changed.

Even with rising fuel prices, EVA Air managed to become profitable again in 2009. In 2010, Travel+Leisure magazine named EVA Air one of the top 10 international airlines.

More Growth in the 2010s

In March 2010, EVA Air began flying to Toronto. In November 2010, they started nonstop flights between the city airports of Taipei Songshan and Tokyo Haneda.

EVA Air Boeing 777-300ER in Star Alliance livery

A big step for EVA Air happened on June 18, 2013, when it officially joined Star Alliance. This is a group of many airlines that work together, making it easier for passengers to travel to more places and earn rewards.

In 2014, EVA Air announced plans to fly to more cities in North America, like Houston in 2015 and Chicago in 2016. They also planned to buy new Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes.

Recent Changes

EVA Air's first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

In November 2015, EVA Air showed off a new design for its planes. In June 2016, EVA Air was one of only eleven airlines to receive a 5-star rating from Skytrax, which is a very high honor for airlines.

In 2017, EVA Air introduced new uniforms for its flight attendants, designed by a famous fashion house. In October 2018, EVA Air received its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, and in June 2019, its first Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. These new planes are very modern and fuel-efficient.

How EVA Air Works

Management and Ownership

EVA Air's headquarters.

EVA Air is led by its Chairman and President. They manage the airline's daily operations. Other teams handle things like catering (food for flights) and maintenance (keeping planes in good shape). EVA Air's main office is in Luzhu, Taoyuan City.

Most of EVA Air is owned privately. The main owners are Evergreen Marine Corporation and the founder of Evergreen, Chang Yung-fa.

EVA Air's technical facilities at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

EVA Air also works with General Electric to run Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corporation (EGAT). This company does major repairs and upgrades for EVA Air's planes and even for other airlines.

Special Details

EVA Air uses several languages for its announcements on flights, including Taiwanese, Mandarin, Hakka, and English. They also play Taiwanese folk songs as boarding music.

Branding and Look

Name and Logo

The name "EVA" comes from "Evergreen Airways." It's always spelled in capital letters and pronounced "E-V-A." The airline uses the same green and orange colors as its parent company, Evergreen. The tail logo, which looks like a globe, is meant to show stability and reliability.

Plane Design and Uniforms

An EVA Air Cargo Boeing 747-400BDSF in the 2001-2015 livery.

The colors on EVA Air planes are dark green, which means strength, and orange, which means new ideas and technology. The design has changed a few times over the years. In late 2015, EVA Air updated its plane design again, using more dark green and removing the orange line on the tail.

Since 2003, EVA Air flight attendants have worn dark green dresses with short jackets. Different colors and stripes show if someone is a chief purser or a regular flight attendant.

Marketing Slogans

EVA Air has used different slogans over the years. Their current slogan is:

• Flying into the Future (2016–present)

Airline Divisions

EVA Air Cargo

An EVA Air Cargo McDonnell Douglas MD-11F.

EVA Air Cargo handles air freight and has offices in Europe, Asia, and North America. They transport all sorts of items, from high-tech equipment to special things like museum art and live animals. EVA Air wants its cargo business to bring in about half of its total money. They use Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 777F planes for cargo.

In 2008, EVA Air helped transport two Chinese pandas to the Taipei Zoo. This shows how they handle special cargo.

Maintenance and Support

EVA Air also has divisions that train pilots and flight attendants. They have companies like Evergreen Sky Catering, which makes the food for flights, and Evergreen Airline Services, which helps planes on the ground.

Where EVA Air Flies

EVA Air 777-300ER in Hello Kitty Shining Star special livery

Most EVA Air flights start from Taoyuan International Airport, which is their main hub near Taipei, Taiwan. They also have many flights from Kaohsiung International Airport. Bangkok is another important city for EVA Air, especially for flights connecting to Europe.

In the past, because of Taiwan's unique situation, Taiwanese airlines couldn't fly directly to certain countries. So, EVA Air used places like Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Macau as connecting points. However, direct flights to China started in December 2008.

EVA Air also partners with many other airlines. This means you can sometimes book a flight with EVA Air, but part of your journey might be on a plane from one of their partner airlines. Some of their partners include Air Canada, All Nippon Airways, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines.

EVA Air's Fleet (Planes)

Current Planes

As of May 2024, EVA Air uses these planes:

Former Planes

EVA Air used to fly these planes:

Special Plane Designs

In 2005, EVA Air started a fun project with a Japanese company called Sanrio to create "Hello Kitty Jets." These planes have Hello Kitty characters painted on the outside and inside! They became very popular.

The EVA Air Airbus A330-300 in the Bad Badtz-Maru Travel Fun livery

The first Hello Kitty planes were retired in 2009, but they came back in 2011 with new designs. EVA Air ordered new Airbus A330-300s just for these special Hello Kitty designs. Later, they even had a Hello Kitty plane that was a Boeing 777-300ER. They also introduced planes with other Sanrio characters like Gudetama and Badtz-Maru.

An EVA Air Boeing 777-300ER in the Rainbow special livery, painted from 2006 to 2013.

From 2006 to 2013, some EVA Air Boeing 777-300ER planes had a special "Rainbow" design. For the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition, EVA Air also had a plane with a floral design to celebrate the event.

Future Plane Plans

EVA Air plans to replace its older Boeing 777-300ERs with new Airbus A350-1000 planes. Some of these will even be changed into cargo planes. They are also ordering new Airbus A321neo planes to replace their older A321s. By 2029, they plan to replace their Airbus A330s with more Boeing 787s.

EVA Air has been slowly retiring its older Boeing 747-400 planes. The last passenger 747 flight was in August 2017. They are replacing these with more modern and fuel-efficient planes like the Boeing 777s and 787s.

Services on EVA Air

Hello Kitty Flights EVA Air's special Hello Kitty-themed flights are very popular. They started in 2005, stopped for a bit, and then came back in 2011. These flights often have many passengers because they are so unique and fun!

Checking In

At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, EVA Air has self-check-in kiosks. These machines let passengers check in and print their boarding passes themselves. This makes the process faster and easier. These kiosks are also available at Taipei Songshan Airport, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Osaka.

Onboard the Plane

The Royal Laurel Class cabin on board one of EVA Air's Boeing 777-300ERs, arranged in a reverse herringbone layout.

EVA Air offers different types of seating on its long flights: "Royal Laurel" or "Premium Laurel" (which are business classes), Premium Economy Class, and Economy Class. All these cabins have entertainment systems, and some Boeing 777 planes even have special mood lighting. For shorter flights, they have a short-haul business class.

In 2012, EVA Air introduced a new "Royal Laurel" business class. These seats can lie completely flat, making it very comfortable to sleep on long flights.

Different Classes

EVA Air's previous Royal Laurel Class seat on a Boeing 777-300ER.

The economy cabin on board one of EVA Air's Boeing 787-9s

EVA Air has five types of classes.

• Royal Laurel Class is their top business class, found on Boeing 777 and 787 planes. The seats lie completely flat and are very wide, giving you lots of space. Each seat has power outlets for your devices.
• Premium Laurel Class is another business class, found on Airbus A330 planes. These seats also recline into an angled lie-flat bed.
• Business Class is for shorter flights on the A321 planes. These seats are comfortable and have entertainment screens and power outlets.
• Premium Economy Class is a special cabin on Boeing 777 planes. It has wider seats and more legroom than Economy Class. The service is similar to Economy, but the food and amenities are better.
• Economy Class is available on all EVA Air planes. These seats have personal entertainment screens, and some even have satellite phones. On Boeing 777 and 787 planes, the seats are arranged in a 3-3-3 pattern.

Newer Boeing 777-300ER planes have updated Economy and Premium Economy cabins with better entertainment systems and charging ports.

In-flight Entertainment

EVA Air's entertainment system, called Star Gallery, is available in most classes. You can watch movies, listen to music, play games, and even send text messages or emails from your seat! The programs are mostly in Mandarin and English, but some are in Japanese, German, and French.

The airline also has a magazine called enVoyage and a duty-free shopping brochure called EVA Air Sky Shop.

A Business Class meal served on a Taipei (TPE) to Hong Kong (HKG) route.

Food and Drinks

EVA Air offers many different meals on its flights, depending on your seat class and where you are flying. You can choose from Western or Eastern style meals. If you have special dietary needs, like being vegetarian or needing a children's meal, you can ask for it when you book your flight.

In Royal Laurel and Premium Laurel classes, you can even pre-order special gourmet meals, including dishes from famous restaurants.

EVA AIR Lounges

EVA Air has special lounges at major airports called EVA AIR lounge. These are comfortable waiting areas for passengers flying in Royal Laurel, Premium Laurel, or Business Class, or for members of their frequent flyer program (Infinity MileageLands Diamond, Gold, and Silver Card holders) and Star Alliance Gold members.

EVA Air's The Infinity lounge at Taoyuan International Airport.

At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, EVA Air has four main lounges:

• The Garden is for top-tier members.
• The Infinity is for all eligible passengers.
• The Star is for Gold members and business class passengers.
• The Club by EVA Air is for Silver members and certain credit card holders.

These lounges usually offer refreshments, business facilities, and entertainment.

Infinity MileageLands (Frequent Flyer Program)

EVA Air's frequent flyer program is called Infinity MileageLands. Members earn points based on how far they fly and what class they fly in. These points can be used for upgrades or free tickets. There are different levels of membership: Green, Silver, Gold, and Diamond, with more benefits as you reach higher levels.

Shuttle Services

EVA Air offers free shuttle services in the United States and Europe for its customers. These shuttles take passengers to and from the airport in certain cities. For example, in the US, they have shuttles for flights to/from John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York City) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston). In Europe, they have shuttles for flights to/from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Safety Record

EVA Air has a very good safety record. It has never had any aircraft losses or passenger deaths in its history. As of January 21, 2021, EVA Air was ranked number 6 in safety among airlines by cntraveler.com.

• On December 16, 2016, EVA Air Flight 015 from Los Angeles almost had a close call with another plane during takeoff and nearly hit a mountain. Air traffic control made a mistake and told the pilot to turn the wrong way. The EVA plane had to quickly climb higher to avoid the mountain.
• On December 2, 2017, EVA Air Flight 035 from Toronto hit a pole while moving on the ground in the dark. The plane was damaged.
• On June 10, 2023, EVA Air Flight 189 from Taipei hit the wing of another plane, Thai Airways International Flight 683, while at Haneda Airport in Japan. No one was seriously hurt, but one of the runways had to close.

See also

In Spanish: EVA Air para niños

• List of airlines of Taiwan
• Air transport in Taiwan
• List of airports in Taiwan
• List of companies of Taiwan
• Transportation in Taiwan