China private carrier, Juneyao Airlines (HO), officially launched its first direct cross-strait flight linking Shanghai and Kaohsiung, Taiwan on November 1. The Shanghai-based airline held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its inaugural flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport Terminal 2 Friday.

It is learnt that the Shanghai-Kaohsiung service will be operated three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, using Airbus A320 Family aircraft with 158 seats (8 in business class and 150 in economy class). The Flight HO1315/6 is scheduled to depart Shanghai at 11:40 a.m. and land in Kaohsiung at 01:50 p.m.; while the return flight leaves Kaohsiung at 02:50 p.m. with an arrival in Shanghai at 05:00 p.m.

HO will offer discounted one-way airfare on Kaohsiung and Taipei routes as low as 1,050 yuan (excluding tax) or so and the round-trip flights about 1,350 yuan (excluding tax) for an individual, if passengers book their tickets 45 days in advance. According to the sales statistics, passenger load factor of the first six flights climbs to 95 percent, with nearly 100 percent of that on the Shanghai-Kaohsiung maiden flight on November 1.

Since regular direct cross-strait flight services were launched in 2009, the economic and trade exchanges between mainland China and Taiwan have become more frequent. Passenger load factor of the cross-strait flights is way far higher than that of other routes.

Juneyao Airlines firstly launched Kaohsiung service on November 1, after given the green light by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the Civil Aviation Administration of Taiwan to operate flights between mainland China and Taiwan. In addition, the airline will open another flight to Taipei on December 1, with five flights weekly on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

The newly-opened Shanghai-Taiwan services will enhance the economic, trade and cultural exchanges between the two sides, as well as facilitate Shanghai residents who travel to Taiwan.

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