2013/3/26 18:41 China Daily News
Reported by Shih, Chun-Ying from Tainan

A major boost to the Tainan Airport chartered flight services was provided by China Eastern Airlines as it submitted an application to the Civil Aeronautics Administration to install 3 return flights between Tainan and Wuhan every week, starting from 13th April. Warm response from travelers will keep the routes going for at least 6 months.

A total of just 6 chartered flights in 2 years (three flights for 2 years ago, one for last year, and two for this year to Okinawa) highlight the fact that the underutilized international chartered flight service is a tough nut to crack for Tainan Airport since its transformation into an international airport the year before last.

However, starting from next month, significant progress in the charter flight services of Tainan Airport will be within reach. Director of the Tainan Airport, Dongya Jhang, announced the plan for China Eastern Airlines to operate a return flight every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday between Wuhan and Tainan from 13th April 2013. An agreement between China Eastern Airlines and UNI Air is in place for UNI Air to handle the ground services for these flights.

A representative from UNI Air states that although China Eastern Airlines only applied for chartered flights in April, satisfactory operating results at the initial stage are very likely to keep the program running on for at least 6 months. Staff members will be sent to Tainan Airport in a few days to do the environment survey and go through details such as operating procedures.

Tainan Airport sent urgent requests to the Customs, Quarantine Department and the Tainan City Government yesterday for additional readiness in view of the tight transit time between the chartered flights. According to Jhang, the time of arrival for the chartered flights of China Eastern Airlines is 5.30 p.m. and the departure time is 6.30 p.m. This is a relatively short time between arrival and departure, and it will pose a challenge to Tainan Airport as the flights previously handled allowed relatively loose schedules. The Airport has started its contingency plans, determining to make the best of this chartered flight program.

According to sources, China Eastern Airlines’ proposal for Tainan-Wuhan chartered flights was kept from both the City Government, and local tour agencies to plan itineraries for tours in Wuhan, implying that the early target travelers will mainly be from China.