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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.
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