The Chinese will celebrate their most important annual holiday next
week, the Spring Festival. To help Taiwan people who live and work
in the mainland to return home for the occasion, six Taiwan
airlines will operate 16 flights to Shanghai Pudong Airport.
China Airlines, the largest carrier in Taiwan Province, will fly a
landmark charter service to Shanghai on Sunday for the first time
in more than 50 years.
The charter will ferry Taiwanese passengers home for the Lunar New
Year holidays, although the flights will make a detour via Hong
Kong.
The carrier says reservations for the flight are not as high as
previously expected, with only 200 out of a total of 377 seats
booked so far.
Eva Airways is also chartering a flight on January 29th from Taipei
to Shanghai via Macao.
The airliner has already sold 300 out of a total of 368 seats.
The East China Bureau of the Civil Aviation Administration is in
charge of coordinating the flights. Bureau Director Xia Xinghua
says they are making good preparations so as to ensure that
everything goes smoothly.
"We have set up a task force for the charter service. It will
coordinate various departments concerned, including the airlines,
air control center, and airports to help guarantee the safety of
the chartered flights."
Xia Xinghua says in addition to the Shanghai Pudong Airport, they
have also selected several airports in the neighboring regions to
act as standbys, which will be used during bad weather. He adds
that Shanghai airports have also conducted simulated take-offs and
landings for Taiwan pilots participating in the service.
Shanghai Airlines is providing ground services for the Taiwan
airlines. General Manager Fan Hongxi says they have transferred
enough people for the charter plane service.
"We will provide the best service so that our Taiwan counterparts
can rest assured that they will land at Pudong Airport safely. And
we shall attend to every detail of our service, including cleaning,
water and oil supply, and boarding guides so as to make the Taiwan
passengers satisfied."
Mr. Li, who is in charge of the Shanghai Office of Taiwan-based
China Airlines, says this will be a very significant flight. His
company has signed various agency agreements concerning ground
service and ticket sales. Mr. Li says that during contact with
these mainland departments, he deeply felt their sincerity.
"It's true that the mainland has offered a great deal of help and
is very warm-hearted. We all can feel that."
The six Taiwan airlines have all set up special counters in
Shanghai to provide on-the-spot consultation and business service
to Taiwan compatriots. More than 1,200 Taiwan compatriots have so
far booked round-trip tickets on the charter flights.
Direct flights between Taiwan Province and mainland have been
hindered for political reasons since 1949.
(Cri.com.cn January 25, 2003)