EVA Air invented premium economy, the cabin between coach and business
Airlines today sell a middle cabin with wider seats and more legroom at a price between economy and business. The idea came from EVA Air, a young Taiwanese carrier that launched it in 1992 on Boeing 747 flights to Los Angeles, with eight seats across, leg rests and a personal video screen in every seatback.
EVA grew out of shipping. In September 1988, at the 20th anniversary of Evergreen Marine, chairman Chang Yung-fa announced plans for Taiwan's first private international airline, seizing on a government decision to open up air transport. The company was formally set up in March 1989. It was meant to be called Evergreen Airways, but that name was too close to an unrelated American cargo airline.
Ambition was clear from the start. In October 1989 the new firm ordered 26 aircraft worth 3.6 billion dollars, and flights began on 1 July 1991 with three Boeing 767s serving Bangkok, Seoul, Jakarta, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Vienna became its first European city before the year was out. By 1994 it served 22 destinations and carried more than 3 million passengers a year, and it turned its first profit in 1995, a year ahead of plan, helped by a strong safety reputation.
The shipping connection shaped its business. A dedicated cargo arm launched in 1995 with MD-11 freighters and links into Evergreen's global sea and land network, and the group added catering, ground handling and engineering. In 1998 EVA merged three small domestic carriers into UNI Air, which flies short routes from Kaohsiung. The main airline itself flies only international routes.
EVA was among the launch customers for the long-range Boeing 777-300ER, which became its flagship in 2005 alongside a cabin overhaul bringing lie-flat business seats. It later added a nonstop route from Taipei to Newark. Today it serves more than 40 international destinations from its Taoyuan hub, holds a five-star Skytrax rating and ranks as Taiwan's second largest airline after China Airlines.
Source: EVA Air
