Name: Huang-Hsiang Sun
Title: Chairman
Company, city: China Airlines; Taoyuan, Taiwan
Number of employees: 11,073
Recent project: Next Generation program and delivery of Boeing 777-300ERs
First job: Traffic staff of China Airlines
Little-known fact about you: I love reading historical books.

Your Business

Essential business philosophy: China Airlines is dedicated to providing high-quality products made in Taiwan in every aspect of our operations to promote our beloved Taiwan and offer a relaxing and entertaining experience in the skies.

Best way to keep a competitive edge: As the Chinese idiom says, “View the big picture while handling the details.” We are hands-on, detailed and tuned to all voices both internal and external in our quest for innovative products and procedures, creating the big picture of optimum cost control while achieving maximum product values.

Yardstick of success: Returning customers and happy employees. There are no better indicators.

Huang-Hsiang Sun as a Traveler

What is the most important item you take when traveling?
Reading materials, current or classic

How do you spend your time on board?
Reading and relaxing

What is your favorite restaurant in the world?
I enjoy sampling the local delicacies of each of the different countries I visit.

What is your favorite destination in the world?
Taiwan. Nothing beats coming home.

About China Airlines

What can travelers expect from China Airlines?
As China Airlines moves into its 55th year, we are breaking away from the dull image of a stale, uninspired old enterprise, transforming into a new era with a refreshed identity and invigorating progress. We are ready for any challenges with innovations to build a new CAL that soars to new heights.

In addition to the introduction of one Airbus A330 and three Boeing 737-800 aircraft, we began taking delivery of 10 Boeing 777-300ERs last October. In 2016, new Airbus A350-900s will replace the less fuel-efficient planes, enhancing the competitiveness of our long-haul products and serving as the engine of our growth. We invited outstanding Taiwanese designers to work on new-generation products based on Taiwan’s unique cultural and creative spirit, to articulate our core values in cultural creativity, environmental protection, technology innovation, touching empathy and trustworthiness. As Taiwan’s largest air carrier, we lead the industry in operation, service quality, environmental protection and energy efficiency, earning many service and environmental awards.

What makes China Airlines’ business class unique?
It is a pleasure to introduce our glamorous New Generation 777-300ER Premium Business Class, a joint effort by an internationally renowned design team, Boeing, an aviation seating company and our own task force. Inspired by the aesthetics of the Song Dynasty, our chief designer, Ray Chen, and his team created an interior where Eastern cultures meet Western sophistication.

The new cabin features persimmon wood grain décor, a first in the industry, as well as traditional Chinese brush paintings inside the lavatory. Adjustable LED mood lighting creates a seasonal or festive mood for holidays. The 1-2-1 configuration features a fully flat bed with direct aisle access for every passenger. The Sky Study seat creates a relaxed at-home feel, offering in-flight WiFi, an 18-inch personal HDTV screen and an entertainment program with a wide selection of film and music channels and noise-canceling headphones. In the middle of the cabin, the study-like Sky Lounge serves tea, coffee and pastries and stocks books to familiarize passengers with Taiwan’s local cultures. The lounge offers a sanctuary for travelers on a long and exhausting journey. As Lu You, a Song Dynasty poet, said, “Embrace the voyage, for no matter how much farther the road is ahead, there is a place to rest your soul.”

What are future plans for China Airlines in North America?
In view of the possible opening of the transit market to/from China and the introduction of our new airliners, we are upgrading our trans-Pacific network. In October we began service direct from Taipei to New York and plan to add frequencies to existing routes and launch new ones. New destinations under study include Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, Houston and Boston. In December, CAL began flying 777-300ERs to Los Angeles, adding two flights daily by the first of this year. Come February, the New York route will deploy the new 777-300ER, followed by San Francisco in September.