China, Taiwan at odds over cross-strait flights
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Taiwanese airlines want more flights to primary Chinese destinations, but China is only willing to offer routes to secondary cities, according to a Taiwan News report. The exchange of views reportedly came at a seminar in Taipei attended by Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Vice Minister, Xia Xinghua, which forms part of a five-day visit to Taiwan. Responding to demands from Taiwanese airlines to allow more flights to key destinations in China, Taiwan News reported Xia as reported saying that 31 airports had been opened to the Taiwanese airlines, but several of the slots had not been filled yet.
Taipei Airlines Association Chairman, Tony Su, reportedly rejected the suggestion, saying Taiwanese airlines would fly to destinations where there was sufficient business. There were 270 cross-strait flights a week last year, but not enough slots for major Chinese destinations such as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing, Su said.
Differences were also reported with regards to flight allocations. Xia reportedly rejected complaints from Taiwanese airlines that the number of extra flights during the Lunar New Year holiday period had been awarded disproportionately in favour of Chinese airlines. However he did say that China was willing to consider a temporary rise in the number of cross-straits flights for visitors to the World Expo in Shanghai.
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