TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration on Thursday clarified its position on fully resuming cross-strait flights after China accused it of rejecting airlines’ applications for new destinations.
To date, the government has opened 15 scheduled flight destinations: Beijing, Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Xiamen, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Fuzhou, Qingdao, Wuhan, Ningbo, and Zhengzhou, according to the CAA. There are 420 flights per week, the administration said.
Additionally, 13 charter flight destinations have been opened: Shenyang, Wuxi, Haikou, Changsha, Xi'an, Jinan, Hefei, Nanchang, Tianjin, Wenzhou, Dalian, Guilin, and Xuzhou. Airlines may apply for charter flights during major holidays, such as the Lunar New Year, within their allocated flight rights, the CAA said.
Between January and March, cross-strait airlines operated an average of 310 flights per week, the CAA said. In March, Taiwanese carriers averaged 115 flights per week, a utilization rate of 55%.
The CAA noted that 13 flights to Shanghai were unable to operate because China has yet to grant appropriate time slots. For charter destinations, no applications have been submitted by any cross-strait operator since they were opened in March 2023, the administration added.
The opening of air transport is based on the principles of safety and reciprocity, the CAA said. Past arrangements for cross-strait traffic rights and destinations were made based on the specific circumstances at that time, it said.
While the cross-strait situation and objective environment have changed significantly since the pandemic, the government continues to follow these principles and fully consider the needs of operators and travelers, the CAA said.
Earlier this month, China announced 10 measures to boost cross-strait ties. One of the measures was the normalization of regular direct cross-strait flights.
