Mainland slams Taiwan’s refusal to allow extra flights
Print Edition
THE Chinese mainland yesterday denounced Taiwan’s move to obstruct extra holiday flights across the Taiwan Strait, saying it was a grave deviation from the humanitarian needs of millions of people.
“The unreasonable practice of the Taiwan authority impairs the trips of tens of thousands of tourists, the get-together of many families and the feelings of compatriots across the Strait,” Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a press conference.
Citing security concerns regarding the M503 route, the Taiwan authority refused to approve 176 additional cross-Strait flights operated by China Eastern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines for the most important family gathering festival in China.
The decision is expected to make it difficult for around 50,000 people to return home during the holiday. Additional cross-Strait flights for the festival have been a regular practice since 2008 when direct flights between the two sides began.
“The Taiwan authority linked two totally irrelevant issues together and penalized Taiwanese living on the mainland,” Ma said. “It has gone to the length of taking residents and business people from Taiwan as hostages in retaliation against mainland airlines.”
“Such a move has seriously compromised the welfare of people on both sides, particularly Taiwanese people,” he added, stressing that the air route and those connected to it are safe.
“The mainland will make every effort to assist Taiwan compatriots in their trip home,” Ma said, pointing out Fujian Province has increased the frequency of passenger liners across the Strait.
A leading official from the International Air Transport Association earlier this month spoke in support of the Chinese mainland operating the M503 route to ease traffic congestion. The M503 route is not a new route and its position and design have been approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization, the IATA official said.
The Taiwan aviation authority, however, expressed concern over the start of the south-to-north operation on the route early last month.
Chen Chien-ming, a Taiwanese living in Shanghai, has been forced into a difficult situation by the sudden change of policy.
He received a final confirmation from China Eastern Airlines on Tuesday that the ticket he booked for a trip from Shanghai to Taipei on February 10, a week ahead of Spring Festival, was canceled.
Chen’s only option is to try other airlines, but prices have soared compared with a month ago when he booked.
Return tickets across the Strait now cost more than 7,000 yuan (US$1,110), about the same cost as flying from China to Europe.
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