Thu, Aug 04, 2005 page10

• Airlines eager to fly over China

  CUTTING CORNERS Local carriers said they could save millions of dollars in fuel costs if they were allowed to shorten routes by flying across China

  • By Jackie Lin / STAFF REPORTER
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  Taiwanese airlines yesterday welcomed Premier Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) announcement that the government will allow them to fly through China's air space, although a formal arrangement still has to be hammered out in negotiations between the two governments.

  "It is good news for both carriers and consumers, who will be able to shorten their flying time," said Nieh Kuo-wei (聶國維), an EVA Airways Corp (長榮) spokesman.

  EVA Airways, the nation's second-largest carrier, said the new measure could help the company save between NT$150 million (US$4.7 million) and NT$200 million in fuel costs, although passengers would undoubtedly be the biggest beneficiary.

  

  NBA stars Vlade Divac of the LA Lakers, left, and Predrag Stojakovic of the Sacramento Kings sit in one of China Airlines' flight simulators in Taipei yesterday. The players are visiting Taiwan for the 2005 World Game Carnival. China Airlines said it hopes to be able to fly over China on its routes to New Delhi, Hanoi and Vienna.

  PHOTO: FANG PIN-CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES

  Nieh said that six of EVA Airways' routes could be changed to fly over China's air space, which would strengthen the carrier's competitive edge.

  Flying over China would shorten the Taipei-Paris route by one hour to 11 hours. Ten to 15 minutes could be shaved off the Taipei-Hanoi route, and the cargo flight between Taipei and New Delhi or Mumbai could be shortened by 15 to 30 minutes.

  Boosted by the latest cross-strait development, share prices of EVA Airways soared 4.7 percent to NT$15.75 on the Taiwan Stock Exchange yesterday.

  China Airlines (華航) advanced 4 percent to NT$18.10, while Far Eastern Air Transport Corp (遠東) was unchanged at NT$21.50.

  However, the government will first have to issue formal documents making legal provision for flights across China, following which carriers will have to apply for approval from the Chinese government, Nieh said.

  "There's nothing special in this case, as we all have to follow the customary practice of getting approval from the nations whose air space our aircraft will have to fly across," he said.

  Currently, airliners have to skirt China's air space as stipulated in the Act Governing Relations Between Peoples of The Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸關係條例).

  China Airlines, the nation's largest carrier, said it will conduct an assessment to choose suitable routes for the application.

  The company currently operates 19 passenger flights and 13 cargo flights to Europe per week.

  "It's hard to say how much we can save before carefully calculating the range of effects it will create," said China Airlines spokesman Johnson Sun (孫鴻文).

  "But we'll definitely apply for approval for flights between Taipei and New Delhi, Hanoi and Vienna," Sun said.

  On the question of whether Hsieh's proposal would pave the way for direct links between Taiwan and China, Sun said that if direct charter flights across the Taiwan Strait could be launched on a regular basis, it would certainly be a good thing.

  "It's too early to say that the government's message will act as a prelude to the implementation of direct links," Nieh said.

  "It still requires some time of observation as there are other obstacles to be removed," he said.
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