She also gave me some more Starlux candies and a pack of Starlux branded playing cards as a take-away gift.Starlux entered a crowded market, as Taiwan already has two established and well-respected carriers. First warm towels were distributed, and then tablecloths.To start I selected the salad over the soup, which was an excellent kale salad with smoked salmon and blue cheese.

Inside the entrance and to the very right was the buffet, while the rest of the lounge was made up of a variety of seating options. Seats are equipped with an adjustable leather headrest.It will be interesting to see what seats the airline chooses for the A350 Business Class cabin, with a range of off the shelf options available including the Thompson Vantage XL, Safran Cirrus and Collins Super Diamond seat.Some of these seat types also include the option of a privacy door to create an enclosed ‘suite’, an industry trend which again would be a first for a Taiwanese airline.Starlux could of course stick with the Collins Diamond seat as fitted on the A321 in a 2-2-2 configuration on the A350, but that wouldn’t represent a very premium layout and would compare poorly against the competition, so we doubt they will do this.With a business-centric model it’s no surprise Starlux want to link key economic hubs in the region, however those cities haven’t proven possible so far and instead the airline will launch to These are predominantly leisure destinations and almost certainly not what the airline wanted to start with, but we would predict the major target cities including Singapore will eventually be secured.This will be essential when the airline starts receiving A350s for services to Europe and the US West Coast from 2021, with connecting itineraries between the major Asian and US business centres a solid and growing market the airline will be eager to tap into.Tickets on the initial routes should go on sale in December this year.Starlux has grand ambitions including long-haul services using brand new A350s from 2021.

If one airline entrepreneur has his way, Italian Airways could be in the skies soon enough.

On more than one occasion I’ve bumped into the passenger sitting next to me trying to adjust my seat, but with an almost-empty cabin, it was not a problem.Each seat has a USB port, outlet and headphone plug in a small area above the shoulder. But since new-airline launches are so rare, we’ve decided to cover it anyway. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy UK newsletter and special email promotions. This is certainly going to change as the airline grows, especially once it starts flying long-haul routes with A350s.Most of the seating is clustered around small tables with curved couches, though there are also a few more conventional dining tables in the corner. You’re super lucky if you experience that in first class, but I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that in business class on any airline.After the meal I checked out the lavatory at the front of the cabin, which had a flower and some THANN toiletries.

Its business class scored well above the 79-point average of our reviews of long-haul business in 2019.While Starlux did launch with a fully fledged frequent-flyer program, Cosmile, presumably no one has amassed enough miles yet to redeem for a free flight. But since new-airline launches are so rare, we’ve decided to cover it anyway.

Currently, Starlux Airlines have 10 A321neos on order and … As Starlux is determined to be one of the best full-service airline in the world, there was a full meal served in this 1.5 hour flight, while it's competitors, namely Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines are just serving sandwiches or snack boxes for similar route (HKG/TPE). Wow, the Starlux Airlines Lounge is beautiful. There is also a water-bottle holder here, though Starlux hadn’t pre-loaded bottles on this flight — a small area I think the airline could improve.I tested out one of the beds in the empty third row.

The 26-day old plane looked gorgeous.Starlux uses Collins Aerospace Diamond seats in business class, with eight seats spread across two rows in a 2-2 configuration. (Wish you could have taken a photo of the two Graces. See detailed map of the airline’s current routes and read helpful user reviews. The Points Guy UK will not sell your email. The carrier began operations at the end of January and currently only flies to two destinations from its hub in Taipei (TPE): Da Nang, Vietnam (DAD), and Penang, Malaysia (PEN).That’s unfortunate timing, with the coronavirus that’s caused flight cancellations and snarled travel in China and elsewhere.

Even the custom cocktail that goes with this dish, the “Mekong mule,” was a perfect pairing.

Starlux originally flew to Macau (MFM) as well, but suspended the route because of the virus.Most new airlines start small, often by buying or leasing used planes, but Starlux made a bold statement by ordering 10 brand-new Airbus A321neos and 17 long-haul A350s. I was able to message and browse the internet with no problem, and you can even switch devices for free. Earn 60,000 bonus points | 2X points on travel and dining Strengths: Overall, Starlux Airlines product is highly valued by travelers. Starlux Airlines is a Taiwanese carrier.