Aviation watchdog announces flight schedule to Taiwan

By Lydia Chen  |   2008-6-17  |     ONLINE EDITION

THE mainland's three biggest airlines received slots for four weekly flights each to Taiwan, according to a schedule announced by the Civil Aviation Administration of China today.

China Southern Airlines Co, Air China Ltd and China Eastern Airlines Corp will each have four return flights per week. Hainan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Xiamen Airlines will operate two flights to Taiwan each week, the aviation regulator said on its Website today.

The flights of Air China and Hainan Airlines will depart from Beijing. Shanghai's Pudong International Airport will be the departing destination for China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines' planes while China Southern's flights will fly from Guangzhou and Xiamen Airlines will take off in Xiamen.

Today's announcement provided a detailed timetable to carry out a landmark deal signed by the mainland and Taiwan last week.

The deal, the latest progress in the first official talks between the mainland and Taiwan since 1999, allowed the two sides to start regular flights across the Taiwan Strait. It also gave approval for mainland travelers to visit the island.

The deal includes 36 return flights each week every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The number will increase according to demand.

The flights will start on July 4. Mainland and Taiwan airlines will each operate 18 flights, according to the deal signed by Chen Yunlin, chairman of the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), and Chiang Pin-kun, chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) in Beijing on Friday.

Return flights between Shanghai and Taiwan will be limited to nine trips each week while return flights from the mainland to Cingcyuangang Airport in Taichung will be limited to six trips per week.

Airlines will be allowed to set up offices on the other side within six months.