Mandarin Airlines has wet-leased a 235-seat high-density A321neo from China Airlines to resolve critical summer seat shortages on the Taichung–Penghu route. The aircraft, an ex-Spirit A321neo undelivered to Spirit, triples capacity compared to Mandarin’s standard ATR72-600 turboprops, enabling immediate deployment for peak summer 2026 demand. This narrowbody upgrade replaces smaller turboprops on high-demand corridors, bypassing new aircraft lead times. Operators now utilize wet-leased single-aisle jets to rapidly address capacity crises during seasonal peaks, leveraging existing fleet assets without waiting for deliveries. The move marks a major shift in Taiwan’s domestic aviation network, deploying ultra-high-density configurations with limited Big Front Seats on previously turboprop-served routes.