Taiwanese carrier Starlux Airlines’ first Airbus A321neo has departed the airframer’s Hamburg Finkenwerder plant following delivery of the jet to the new airline.

Taiwanese carrier Starlux Airlines’ first Airbus A321neo has departed the airframer’s Hamburg Finkenwerder plant following delivery of the jet to the new airline.

The start-up operator, which also has Airbus A350s on order, intends to commence services out of Taipei in 2020.

Starlux says the handover was completed on 25 October and it will hold a formal introduction ceremony on 28 October.

Its initial A321neo (B-58201), the first aircraft for the company, took off from Finkenwerder at around 09:25 today.

Airbus says the twinjet – powered by CFM International Leap-1A engines – is configured with 188 seats in two classes, including lie-flat seats in the business cabin.

Starlux A321neo