Aviation organizations on the Chinese mainland and Taiwan agreed yesterday on details for renewed charter flights across the Taiwan Strait for the coming Spring Festival which falls on January 29.
Six airlines from the mainland and six from Taiwan will be involved in the flights. They will make 72 round trips between January 20 and February 13.
The flights will operate from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen on the mainland and Taipei and Kaohsiung on Taiwan.
Apart from Taiwan businessmen and their families, Taiwan residents holding legal certificates for shuttling between the island and the mainland will also be allowed to take the flights.
The new agreement follows a successful trial of cross-Strait flights for this year's Spring Festival.
"It will facilitate the shuttle trips of Taiwan compatriots," said He Shizhong, an official of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a press conference.
Although progress has been made in flight arrangement, the program still cannot fully satisfy the need of the compatriots on both sides of the Straits, nor realize the direct flights, He said.
Mainland citizens who hold legitimate and effective certification, however, are not included in the program, he said, adding the planes have to make a detour via Hong Kong.
(Xinhua)