Airlines ready for Beijing-Taiwan charter flight
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-23 09:05

It has been several days since the first Spring Festival Chartered Airplane across the Taiwan Straits took off.

Altogether 12 airliners from both sides will be participating in the flights during the Spring Festival season. All the airlines participating say they are fully prepared and will try to provide the best service. Chen Simeng has the details.

Shenzhen-based China Southern airlines is one of the airlines participating in the cross-straits charter flight.

To create a warm atmosphere for Taiwan compatriots, language and food are two special services the airlines aims to provide.

Air hostesses are working hard to learn the basic words of the Minnan dialect, the major dialect in Taiwan.

Lu Yiqing has only served on board for two years, but it is already her second time to serve on a spring festival charter flight.

"Although I can speak some of the Minnan dialect, I couldn't communicate with Taiwan compatriots all the way with the dialect last year, because it was my first time to serve on the charter flight. I hope this time I will do better, making them feel closer to me."

All serving air stewardesses share the same wish as Lu Yiqing has.

"I hope I can provide a distinguished service on the charter flights. I hope I can make the Taiwan passengers feel at home with my smile."

Food is another special service China Southern Airlines is working on. The airline is going to offer meals with Guangdong and Taiwan flavors.

Tang Dazhi, a Hongkong-native chef working with Southern Airlines, says he has made careful preparation for the flight meals.

"When I returned Hong Kong one year ago, I went to eat at a Taiwan restaurant on purpose. Since then, I've tried Taiwan restaurants once a month, in order to know how they cook Taiwan food."

In addition, China Airlines and Hainan Airlines have also made plenty of preparations.

Zhao Yingzhong, CEO of Hainan Airlines is pleased that they can make contributions to the spring festival charter flight.

"We hope we will serve charter flights every year, even every day. We hope the cross-straits charter flights will become a natural thing."

Meanwhile, on the first day of the launch of the charter flights, the Taiwan-based Chinese Kuomintang Party also called on the realization of the charter flights in a more regular way.

This is the third time the Spring Festival charter flights have been arranged between the Straits. Compared with 2003 and 2005, the charter flights this year will not only serve Taiwan businessmen and their relatives on the mainland, but all Taiwan residents bearing valid travel documents across the Straits.