Taiwan carriers get nod to fly over China’s airspace

In a historic development, three of Taiwan’s commercial planes flew over mainland China’s airspace, marking an end of a no-fly zone policy imposed in 1949. The move is helpful for airlines from Taiwan to save flying time, reduce cost, and improve efficiency and competitiveness.

Recently, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) approved the application of four Taiwan air companies to fly over China’s mainland. The four air companies are Eva Airways Corp., China Airlines, UNI Airways Corp. and Mandarin Airlines.

“This move is significant not only from a historical perspective, as for first time in half a century Chinese airspace is being opened up to Taiwanese aircraft, but also in terms of future developments in cross-strait relations. It seems obvious that the Taiwan government is now more than ever losing its grip on the pace at which cross-strait relations is evolving, more specifically when it comes to the issue of cross-strait direct links,” said a report in daily Taipei Times.

As per the information available, China’s mainland was to open its airspace to airlines of the four air companies from Taipei and Gaoxiong cities to certain destinations as of September 5. The end of the no-fly zone policy will see some 100 Taiwanese passenger and cargo planes flying over mainland China every week.

“CAAC will, as always, try its best to do everything it could if it is good for the Taiwan people, the civil aviation industry and direct flights across the Taiwan Straits,” a CAAC official told media.

EVA Airlines became the first Taiwanese carrier to fly over mainland China in more than 50 years, flying over Hong Kong to Kunming and Lanzhou and then Urumqi in western China. The final destination for the Boeing 747-400 was Paris. Rival China Airlines also launched its flight over the mainland, few minutes after the EVA Airlines plane took off.

Liu Yi-jun, spokesperson, EVA Airlines told media, “It’s not important who flies over the mainland first. We’re all happy that in doing so, we can save travelling time and cut fuel costs.”
Taiwan’s largest carrier China Airlines said it planned 52 passenger and cargo flights per week over mainland China en route to European and Asian destinations such as Frankfurt, Vienna and Hanoi.

By Satish G.

NEW DELHI, India (eTurboNews)

September 7, 2005   Posted in: Airlines & Railways