The charter flights between Chinese mainland and Taiwan for the
traditional Spring Festival entered the peak period on
Thursday.
There were 18 round-trip flights operated by 12 airline
companies between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan on Thursday.
A total of 96 round-trip flights, operated by six mainland and
six Taiwanese airlines, are scheduled between February 13 and 16
and from February 23 to 26.
Sources with the Civil Aviation Administration of China said
Friday would be the busiest day before the Spring Festival with 21
round-trip charter flights scheduled.
This year's Spring Festival will start on February 18. The first
Spring Festival charter flights between Taiwan and the Chinese
mainland were launched in 2003.
The charter flights are available in six cities, including
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xiamen on the Chinese mainland, and
Taipei and Kaohsiung in Taiwan.
Mainland and Taiwanese airlines operated 72 non-stop charter
flights during the Spring Festival in 2006, carrying 27,000
passengers. The previous year, 5,877 passengers took Spring
Festival charter flights.
Apart from major festivals such as the Spring Festival, there is
no direct air service across the Taiwan Strait. All air companies
are required by the Taiwan authorities to fly to their target
destinations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait via Hong Kong.
(Xinhua News Agency February 16, 2007)