Summary

  • SEA-TPE route connects people, cultures, and business opportunities, fostering stronger ties between regions for future growth.
  • SEA celebrates 50th international connection with Lufthansa’s Munich route, showcasing the airport’s diverse offerings to the world.
  • Delta Air Lines President announces upgrade to Airbus A350-900 for SEA-TPE flights, increasing passenger amenities and cargo capacity.

On June 6, Delta Air Lines commenced a direct flight between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Taiwan’s Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE). The inaugural flight was celebrated at SEA, and several announcements were made.

“A bridge that brings people, cultures, and countries closer together”

At the launch ceremony, Daniel Kuo-ching Chen, Director General of the Seattle Taipei Economic & Cultural Office, shared with excited attendees that,

“So this new route between Seattle and Taipei is not just a fly route, it’s a bridge that brings people, cultures and countries closer together. It also opens a new opportunity for business, tourism and cultural exchange, fostering stronger, stronger ties between our regions. … This new route is not just a testament to our growing partnership but also shares our vision for the future.”

Below is a video from the Port of Seattle, whom operates SEA:

Another speaker at the event was Port of Seattle Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa. To Hasegawa, SEA is proud to be Delta Air Lines’ Pacific hub and;

“SEA continues to grow and serve our region’s diverse communities. With this new flight SEA now offers 51 services to 33 international destinations on 25 different airlines. This flight is one of seven new international services for 2024 expected to launch this year.”

One should note the 50th was Lufthansa connecting SEA to Munich

Related

Lufthansa Launches 50th International Connection From Seattle Airport To Munich

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport celebrates her 50th international connection in Lufthansa on her 75th birthday year. Read on for details.

In a Port of Seattle statement, Hasegawa shared,

“Our recent international growth through the SEA Gateway is a testament to the appeal our region and communities offer the world, both culturally and economically. The Port looks forward to leaning into these expanded opportunities for international relationships, and finding connections that serve our local community and beyond.”

Hasegawa went on to amplify those thoughts, sharing with Simple Flying that,

“It’s great to help people to be able to more quickly cross the ocean and… streamline the transactions, the conversations, and being able to do business.”

As such, here are the details about the new SEA-TPE route flying 6,074 miles or 9,775 kilometers:

Route

Days

Depart

Arrivals

Flight No.

SEA to TPE

Daily

11:45 p.m.

3:30 p.m. (+1 day)

DL69

TPE to SEA

Daily

5:25 p.m.

1:50 p.m. (same day)

DL68

But this was only the beginning of news about SEA.

Delta Air Lines President Glen Hauenstein makes several announcements

Delta Air Lines President Glen Hauenstein flew into SEA to make several announcements. Being President makes Hauenstein responsible for Delta’s network, revenue management, reservation sales, customer care, customer engagement, and loyalty strategies. As such, Hauenstein was chosen to make the announcement that the SEA-TPE flights will be upgraded “next spring” from the Airbus A330-900 to the Airbus A350-900 to meet increasing demand for, “all the best amenities in the sky that delta is known for, and significantly increased cargo capability”. One can view a Simple Flying comparison below:

Additionally, while the A330-900 has 281 passengers, the A350-900 has 306 passenger seats and a reduced fuel burn. Plus, the A350-900 is more optimized for long-haul.

Related

The Airbus A350 vs A330neo – Which Plane Is Best?

A battle between the two Airbus twinjet widebodies.

According to Delta Cargo, the A330-900 can carry up to 29 LD-3 / 6 PMC/P6P pallets, while the A350-900 can carry a maximum of 36 LD-3 / 11 PMC/P6P pallets. The additional air cargo capacity is a shared priority of Delta Air Lines and SEA.

dal_formula_bos_062022_198 - Delta Air Lines Cargo at Work

Photo: Delta Cargo

Finally, President Glen Hauenstein had a packed schedule and employees to connect with but graciously let me take a photo with him and ask one question. So I asked about the possibility of Delta Air Lines buying a Boom Supersonic Overture. To Hauenstein, the possibility of Boom Supersonic was ‘sometime in the future’ but Hauenstein shared light optimism for Boom Supersonic.

SF Joe Kunzler and Delta Air Lines President Glen Hauenstein

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

But there was also other news from the event.

Announcing a request for a Reagan National Airport slot

There was also an announcement made about Delta Air Lines applying for a slot of Washington DC’s Reagan National Airport to connect to SEA. Hasegawa shared with Simple Flying that the application is to create competition and reduce fares,

“So what we’re doing is we’re trying to create a competition to be able to bring the prices down for everyday travelers who find it really cumbersome to be able to get to Washington DC right now. … If we create access into Washington, DC for everyday people, that means educational trips with children. It means business opportunities, again, for people who have government contracts, or it means more access for folks to just be able to influence the capital of our nation. So we think really good about it. It seems like it’s the right thing to do.”

Simple Flying also posted immediate coverage last Thursday with more specific details:

Related

Delta Air Lines Applies For New Nonstop Service Between Seattle-Tacoma & Reagan National Airport

The airline is one of five carriers hoping to obtain sought-after slots at the busy airport.

A celebrated flight

SEA held a launch party complete with gifts like tea, cookies, photo booths and a media photo opportunity for the water cannon salute and first take-off. Below one can see some photos:

There was also Janelle, a Delta Air Lines Brand Ambassador posting an Instagram reel of her first class experience:

Also, upon landing at TPE, N412DX was met with a water cannon salute:

Will you fly on the SEA-TPE route? Please share in the comments.


  • New Seattle-Tacoma International SkyBridge Taken From the Air

    Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

    IATA/ICAO Code:
    SEA/KSEA

    Country:
    United States

    CEO:
    Lance Lyttle

    Passenger Count :
    20,061,507 (2020)

    Runways :
    16L/34R – 3,627m (11,901ft) |
    16C/34C – 2,873m (9,426ft) |
    16R/34L – 2,591m (8,500ft)

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