TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Starlux Airlines will start regular flights to its seventh destination in Japan, Kumamoto, in September, the airline said Friday (June 2).

The city on the island of Kyushu will see three flights a week to and from Taoyuan International Airport beginning Sept. 1. The airline said it would be deploying the Airbus A321neo on the route, with seats for 188 passengers.

Starlux chose Kumamoto because it is close to impressive natural scenery and rich local culture in the center of the island, the Liberty Times reported. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel habits have changed, with tourists paying more attention to nature and culture, the airline noted.

Kumamoto is one of three new destinations for Starlux in 2023. In April, it started flights to Los Angeles, California, its first destination in North America, and on Aug. 15, it will start flying to Clark International Airport in the Philippines.

Starlux said it was operating flights to 17 cities in Asia and America, Clark and Kumamoto not included. In May, the relatively young airline suffered image problems when passengers were forced to sleep in sleeping bags at Tokyo’s Narita Airport after crosswinds disrupted its flight schedule.