Taiwan to launch weekend charter flights to mainland
(AP)
Updated: 2006-09-25 18:35
TAIPEI- Taiwan may launch special weekend charter flights to Chinese mainland
in a move to expand current holiday arrangements, an aviation executive said.
"I believe weekend charter flights will begin no later than the first quarter
of next year," said Tony Fan, chairman of the Taipei Airlines Association.
The private association was authorized by the "Taiwan government" to handle
aviation talks with China in the absence of official contacts. Taiwan
and the mainland split amid civil war in 1949 and passengers must fly
to the mainland through a third point, typically Hong Kong or Macau.
In June, Taiwan and China agreed to allow selected airlines from each side to
fly passengers across the Taiwan Strait on a charter arrangement during the four
most celebrated festivals each year.
Beginning Friday, airlines will fly 48 round-trip flights between Taiwan and
the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen for the Mid Autumn
Moon Festival that falls on October 6.
Fan said he couldn't estimate how many round trips would be allowed for
weekend charter flights, but the total number may be small initially.
"The "Taiwan government" wants a gradual opening of links with the mainland,
step by step," he told Dow Jones Newswires on Friday.
Taiwan is concerned a large number of weekend flights would lead to increased
traffic to the mainland for spending and leisure and hurt the domestic economy,
Fan said.
The negative effect will likely be offset by allowing cash-rich Chinese
tourists traveling to Taiwan, said Fan, who is also a director of Taiwan's
tourism association. "So these issues of tourism and charter flights are bundled
together," Fan said.
In 2003, 2005 and 2006, Taiwan and China allowed ad-hoc direct charter
flights during Lunar New Year, the biggest Chinese holiday.
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