China Airlines (CI, Taipei Taoyuan) will temporarily assume all of TransAsia Airways' network services with effect from December 1 through to February 15, 2017.

TransAsia Airways (Taipei Sung Shan) suspended all operations on Tuesday, November 22 citing prolonged financial difficulties exacerbated by the crashes of flights GE222 and GE235 in 2014/15.

As it stands, Airline Route reports that China Airlines subsidiary Mandarin Airlines (AE, Taichung Ching Chuan Kang) will assume two exclusive TransAsia Airways routes, Taipei-Hualien and Taichung Ching Chuan Kang-Hualien, which it will operate with E190s.

Given the gravity of the situation, government has said it will provide China Airlines with funding in order to help it bear the added financial burden.

Following the mid-February cut-off, the Taiwanese government will institute a formal route allocation proceeding during which time it will also consider applications from EVA Air (BR, Taipei Taoyuan).

Meanwhile, TransAsia's chairman, Vincent Lin, was taken in for questioning late last week over suspicions he and other upper management engaged in insider trading.

According to the China Times, Lin, his father Lin Hsiao-hsin, and ten other managers were questioned at the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office after the Chairman of the Taiwan Stock Exchange, Shih Jun-ji, told investigators that senior employees at TransAsia Airways had sold their shares in the company on November 21, a day before the airline suspended all flights.

Lin was subsequently released on a TWD5 million (USD157,000) bond along with three other executives including two who were forced to put up TWD1 million (USD31,600) bond each. Lin Hsiao-hsin and the others were reportedly released without charge or need to provide any financial guarantees.