Shanghai Daily news

The first Hello Kitty flight, designed by EVA Airways, debuted today, and is expected to charter flights from Taipei to Beijing starting next Monday, Beijing News reported today.

China Airlines, Taiwan's largest airline, launched a flight to China's eastern city of Shanghai today to kick off nonstop chartered flights between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.

An official of EVA Airways, one of the airlines which will launch these chartered flights, said that they have already completed the printing on an Airbus A330-220, and their air hostess are equipped with Hello-Kitty-style dresses, even the handbag boarding tags and boarding checks are pink. As well, passengers on the flight may also receive Hello Kitty toys and memorabilia.

China Airlines is among six Taiwanese and six Chinese airlines that will provide 72 round-trip charter flights through February 7, 2006.

This is the third year that the Chinese New Year chartered flights have been in operation. In 2003 and 2005 they were limited to Taiwanese businesspeople living on the mainland, but this year Taiwanese students and tourists have also been allowed to book flights.

China's Shanghai Airlines will fly the first Chinese charter flight to Taipei next Tuesday, Taiwanese officials said.