Direct flights between Taipei Songshan Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao Airport could be launched as early as next month, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝蛅獉) said yesterday.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and airline companies are in the process of negotiating the details of the direct flights, Hau said, adding that the route was expected to be launched by June 14, when he leaves for ※Taipei Culture Week§ at the World Expo in Shanghai.
※Direct flights between Songshan and Hongqiao airports is an important step for cross-strait exchanges between Taipei and Shanghai. I hope I can take a direct flight to Hongqiao Airport when I visit Shanghai on June 14,§ he said at Taipei City Hall.
Hau is scheduled to lead a delegation to attend the Taipei Culture Week at the expo from June 14 to June 18. The event will feature a series of performances from arts troupes including Ming Hua Yuan Taiwanese opera group and U-Theatre.
Direct flights between Taipei and Shanghai were one of President Ma Ying-jeou＊s (堜褙朐) campaign promises, which would place the nation＊s capital in what he called ※a golden business triangle of Northeast Asia§ with Shanghai and Tokyo.
Direct flights between 〝Songshan and Japan＊s Tokyo-Haneda Airport are scheduled to begin in October.
Hau had promised to push for direct flights between the two cities when Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng (粧櫆) visited Taipei last month. However, the CAA had said in March that Songshan airport was in the process of expanding its facilities and was not able to accommodate large aircraft.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Huang Hsian-chun (??瓮) yesterday accused Hau of crossing the line by discussing the launch date of the direct flights, which should be handled by the CAA under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
※You have totally crossed the line. The launch date of the direct flights is not for you to announce. Do you represent the ministry or the CAA?§ he asked during a question-and-answer session at the Taipei City Council.
DPP Taipei City Councilor 〝Chuang Ruei-hsiung (薧覅磡) further questioned the city government＊s efforts on the development of an area adjacent to Songshan airport and the protection of local resident＊s interests.
Hau said his administration had put a lot of effort into pushing for the launch of the direct flights in response to demand by residents and Taiwanese businesspeople.
Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) director-general Lee Long-wen (軝蛅湞) said yesterday that the CAA was scheduled to negotiate with officials from China＊s Civil Aviation Administration by the end of this month.
Lee said the exact date of the launch would be determined after the negotiations, adding that the CAA did not have a specific timeline.
Lee said that there are 21 weekly flights from Songshan to Shanghai＊s Pudong Airport. There will be additional flights for the Songshan-Hongqiao service, he said.
EVA Airways spokesperson Nieh Kuo-wei (聶玿諞) said demand for flights to Shanghai has far exceeded supply. The launch of the Shanghai-Hongqiao service will ease the strain on demand, he said, adding that the company was ready.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHELLEY SHAN
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