The Chinese will celebrate their most important annual holiday next week, the Spring Festival. To help Taiwan people who live and work in the mainland to return home for the occasion, six Taiwan airlines will operate 16 flights to Shanghai Pudong Airport.

China Airlines, the largest carrier in Taiwan Province, will fly a landmark charter service to Shanghai on Sunday for the first time in more than 50 years.

The charter will ferry Taiwanese passengers home for the Lunar New Year holidays, although the flights will make a detour via Hong Kong.

The carrier says reservations for the flight are not as high as previously expected, with only 200 out of a total of 377 seats booked so far.

Eva Airways is also chartering a flight on January 29th from Taipei to Shanghai via Macao.

The airliner has already sold 300 out of a total of 368 seats.

The East China Bureau of the Civil Aviation Administration is in charge of coordinating the flights. Bureau Director Xia Xinghua says they are making good preparations so as to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

"We have set up a task force for the charter service. It will coordinate various departments concerned, including the airlines, air control center, and airports to help guarantee the safety of the chartered flights."

Xia Xinghua says in addition to the Shanghai Pudong Airport, they have also selected several airports in the neighboring regions to act as standbys, which will be used during bad weather. He adds that Shanghai airports have also conducted simulated take-offs and landings for Taiwan pilots participating in the service.

Shanghai Airlines is providing ground services for the Taiwan airlines. General Manager Fan Hongxi says they have transferred enough people for the charter plane service.

"We will provide the best service so that our Taiwan counterparts can rest assured that they will land at Pudong Airport safely. And we shall attend to every detail of our service, including cleaning, water and oil supply, and boarding guides so as to make the Taiwan passengers satisfied."

Mr. Li, who is in charge of the Shanghai Office of Taiwan-based China Airlines, says this will be a very significant flight. His company has signed various agency agreements concerning ground service and ticket sales. Mr. Li says that during contact with these mainland departments, he deeply felt their sincerity.

"It's true that the mainland has offered a great deal of help and is very warm-hearted. We all can feel that."

The six Taiwan airlines have all set up special counters in Shanghai to provide on-the-spot consultation and business service to Taiwan compatriots. More than 1,200 Taiwan compatriots have so far booked round-trip tickets on the charter flights.

Direct flights between Taiwan Province and mainland have been hindered for political reasons since 1949.

(Cri.com.cn January 25, 2003)