Taiwan flight fares announced

By Chen Qian  |   2008-6-20  |     ONLINE EDITION

SHANGHAI Airlines will charge 3,700 yuan (US$536) for a weekend chartered round-trip flight between Shanghai and Taiwan for economy class and 5,500 yuan for business class, it announced yesterday, Xinmin Evening News reported today.

Tax is included in the ticket price. Group tickets, of at least 10, will cost 2,600 yuan each for a round-trip in economy class, the airline said. The ticket sales will begin soon.

China Eastern Airlines Corp will announce its ticket prices later today and Air China Ltd is still working on its prices. However Air China's first flight on July 4 is already fully booked, the report says.

Shanghai Airlines's ticket price is 700 yuan higher than that of flights during the Dragon Boat Festival. The 3,000 yuan ticket for the Dragon Boat Festival is the lowest price since chartered flights began between Shanghai and Taiwan in 2003, business insiders said, adding that the 3,700 yuan price for weekend chartered flights was reasonable considering the rise of fuel costs recently.

Shanghai will be served by 18 flights operated by China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Air China and China Southern Airlines. The 36 flights each week will travel every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday between the mainland and Taiwan.

Each week China Eastern Airlines will have three flights, Shanghai Airlines will have two flights and Air China will have one round-trip flight every Friday and Sunday. China Southern Airlines will also offer a round-trip flight on Friday and Sunday from July 6.

Beijing, Guangzhou, Xiamen and Nanjing will also have flights to Taiwan. The first weekend chartered flight will take off on July 4, and fly through Hong Kong.