Cross-straits chartered flights

The development of increasingly regular chartered flights across the Taiwan Straits over the last few years.

The development of increasingly regular chartered flights across the Taiwan Straits over the last few years.

2002 saw the notion of cross-Straits chartered flights first proposed by the mainland and Taiwan. And the next year saw mainland authorities approving six Taiwan airlines and sixteen flights to Shanghai, with stop-overs at Hong Kong or Macao.

But in 2004, Taiwan authorities blocked the proposal and postponed communications.

However, with the approach of the Spring Festival in 2005, the mainland pushed again for chartered flights over the holiday period and the first such flights took off over the Spring Festival period that year. Those was the first time non-stop flights to operate, with planes no longer required to land in Hong Kong and Macao.

It was also the first time for mainland civil airplanes to fly to Taiwan after 56 years of suspended services. But the flights were only restricted to Taiwan businessmen and their families over the Spring Festival.

In 2006, there were further developments. Not just businessmen, but also Taiwan residents were allowed as passengers. There was also an addition to airports providing the flights with Xiamen joining the original list of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Round-trip flights increased to 72 from the original 48.

Also in 2006, cross-Straits chartered flights were launched over the mid-Autumn Festival in September. Since then, chartered flights have expanded to cover most holidays, not just the Spring Festival.

And finally on June 13th this year, the Chairman of the mainland-based Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits, Chen Yunlin and the Chairman of Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation, Chiang Pin-kun signed an agreement on cross-Strait chartered flights, set to start from July 4th allowing 36 return flights to operate every weekend.

People from both sides of the Straits have welcomed the convenience of these regular charter flights. Although the flights still technically fly over Hong Kong, many people believe that with negotiations resuming on this issue, it won't be long before not just non-stop, but also direct, flights will run between the two sides.