Cross-Straits chartered flight service reaches new peak
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-02-06 09:29

The direct charter flight service across the Taiwan Straits reached its peak as of Saturday, the last day of the seven-day Spring Festival holiday that began on Jan.29.

There are altogether 27 return charter flights between chosen Chinese mainland cities and cities in Taiwan on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday's charter flight service, with 15 return charter flights in all, was done by nine airlines, including four from the Chinese mainland, as the cross-Straits direct charter flight service was resumed on Friday after the Spring Festival holiday closed in Taiwan on Thursday.

Twelve return charter flights on Sunday will be operated by six Chinese mainland air companies and three airways of Taiwan. Four more return charter flights across the Taiwan Straits are slated for Monday and Tuesday, with the last return Spring Festival charter flight being flown by the Xiamen Airlines.

According to an agreement reached between civil aviation associations of both sides, the direct charter flights are scheduled to be available from Jan. 20 to Feb. 13, one day after the Lantern Festival. Six mainland airlines and six Taiwan-based airlines are approved to fly the charter flights.

In all, there will be 72 round-trip flights this year, compared with 48 in 2005. For the first time, the charter flights this year serve all Taiwan residents bearing valid travel documents across the Straits, including tourists and students. Previously, they mainly served business people.