Taiwan and the mainland are set to launch 94 charter flights from today to ferry mainland-based Taiwanese businessmen back and forth for Lunar New Year celebrations.
It is the fifth time the two sides have provided such a service, which could pave the way for direct cross-strait flights - a big campaign issue in the run-up to the island's presidential election on March 22.
Taiwanese airlines - China, Mandarin, EVA Air, Uni Air, Far Eastern Air Transport and TransAsia - will operate a total of 48 flights for businessmen and their dependants based in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen .
Six mainland counterparts - China Southern, Shanghai, Air China, China Eastern, Xiamen and Hainan airlines - will provide 46 flights to Taoyuan and Kaohsiung airports in Taiwan until February 15.
Although most of the airlines have reported that at least 80 per cent of tickets have been sold, demand appears down compared with the fierce fight for seats in past years.
Airline officials in Taipei attributed the relatively weak demand to the snowstorms on the mainland, which had discouraged some people from returning to the island for the holiday.
Taiwanese airlines said they had mapped out contingency plans for the bad weather, including offering full refunds to passengers unable to board flights.
