No Caps Set on Extra Cross-Strait Flights During Chinese New Year

Airlines from mainland China and Taiwan are allowed to operate more cross-strait flights during 2015 Chinese Lunar New Year travel rush, effective from January 25 to February 22, 2016, according to a conference held in Taipei lately.

The civil aviation authorities of mainland China and Taiwan have agreed to set no cap on the total number of cross-Strait flights added during the Spring Festival so as to better deal with the travel rush.

However, the aviation authorities have set a cap for the number of cross-Strait flights in and out several busy airports in mainland China - 36 round-trip flights for Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), 183 for Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), 17 for Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), 20 for Shenzhen Baoan International Airport (SZX) and 53 for Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH).

The first batch of extra flights, subject to government approval, will be announced due Dec. 25, 2015.

In addition, no cross-Strait flights will be operated at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) and Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA) this year. The original cross-Strait flights to and from STA will be transferred to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE).

Both sides said that they will continuously expand cooperation to promote cross-strait air transport and consolidate the existing chievements.