China Airlines Ltd, the largest air carrier in Taiwan area, will today become a full member of SkyTeam Alliance, which is expected to increase its international destinations nine-fold, the company said yesterday.

The membership will elevate the airline's presence in Europe, Asia, America and Africa, because alliance members as a whole provide more than 14,520 daily flights to 926 destinations in 173 countries around the world.

CAL will be welcomed as the 15th member of SkyTeam, the world's second-largest airline alliance, at an induction ceremony today at CAL's hangar at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

The company said executives of the other 14 full members of the alliance, as well as four pending members, will attend the ceremony.

CAL has also added the alliance's logo to one of its 747 aircraft, which will also be unveiled today.

Flight attendants on duty will also be required to wear the alliance's badge.

According to the airline, even if CAL does not have flights to some destinations, passengers can still book and reserve seats in Taiwan through the international network.

CAL is the first Taiwan-based airline to gain membership in an international alliance.

The current 14 members of SkyTeam are Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, Alitalia, China Eastern, China Southern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Line, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Romanian Air Transport and Vietnam Airlines.