China Southern's historic flight to inaugurate cross-strait operations today
03 Jul 2008
Airlines returning compliments with a flight later in the day from Taipei to Shanghai.
In a symbolic gesture, China Southern chairman, Liu Shaoyong, will act as honorary captain aboard the inaugural A330 flight.
Other carriers chosen to operate cross-strait flights are Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, TransAsia Airways, Uni Air and EVA Air.
All in all,144 round-trip flights are scheduled across the strait this month: 27 to/from Beijing Capital, 70 to/from Shanghai Pudong, 31 to/from Guangzhou Baiyun, 12 to/from Xiamen Gaoqi and four to/from Nanjing Lukou.
According to reports, mainland carriers are reporting brisk sales, with at least four carriers announcing that their 4 July flights are sold out. Taiwanese carriers have also reported bookings in excess of 90 per cent.
The cross-strait service still suffers a handicap that future negotiations, between the two Chinese nations, may hope to resolve. Cross-strait flights must still route themselves through Hong Kong airspace southwest of Taipei, even though the aircraft no longer have to land here. Truly direct flights that do not pass over Hong Kong will cut flight time to about 1 hour and save operating costs.
