Cross-Strait flights to rise

Mainland China and Taiwan announced an increase in the number of direct charter flights across the Taiwan Strait Wednesday. Holiday passenger, cargo, medical and humanitarian charters could possibly start within weeks, with regular, full charter services to be launched in four to five months. Negotiations between the Taipei Airlines Association and the Cross-Strait Aviation Transport Exchange Council – two groups entrusted by Taipei and Beijing to deal with the issue still need to be completed. Charter flights will still need to fly over Hong Kong airspace.