=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2003/01/07/i= nternational0924EST0520.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, January 7, 2003 (AP) Hundreds of seats empty on first flights linking Taiwan, mainland China (01-07) 06:24 PST SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- Hundreds of seats remained unbooked Tuesday on the first-ever flights between Taiwan and communist China, and organizers blamed requirements forcing time-consuming stopovers in Hong Kong or Macau. The indirect charter flights, which will serve Taiwanese businessmen flying home from Shanghai for the Chinese New Year holiday beginning Feb. 1, are the first such air service between the two sides since they split during a civil war 53 years ago. Approval of the flights has raised hopes of an eventual lifting of a half-century ban on direct air links. But 500 of the 2,000 seats on the eight flights between Shanghai and Taipei remain untaken, said Wu Kuo-jong, deputy manager of Shanghai Straits Exchange Co., a Taiwanese travel agency that helped organize the flights. He said the seats likely will be filled before the first flight on Jan. 26. But most of the 26,000 Taiwanese in the Shanghai area are expected to head home for the Chinese-speaking world's biggest holiday as they have always done -- changing flights in Hong Kong or Macau. "They're going to stick to their usual routes," Wu said. Taiwan, wary of Beijing's threats take over the island by force, will require the charter flights to land in Hong Kong or Macau instead of flying directly. The detour will add hundreds of miles and several hours to the trip. That makes the charter flights not all that different from existing routes, which now require changing planes at a third point, usually Hong Kong. The charter flights' only improvement, say Taiwanese living in China, is that passengers will be able to fly the same plane the entire trip. "The flights themselves are not much different from what already exists. But they're a big step forward in government cooperation. They make us hope to see direct flights one day," said Yang Ta-cheng, honorary director of the Shanghai Taiwan Business Association, Taiwan's chamber of commerce here. Six Taiwanese airlines have received permission from Beijing to operate the flights, including China Airlines, Taiwan's largest carrier; Mandarin Airlines, which is affiliated with China Airlines; and Far Eastern Air Transport Corp. It's the first time the island's carriers have been allowed to fly passengers to and from the mainland. Chinese airlines are not permitted to make the flights, and only Taiwanese are allowed onboard. At least 300,000 Taiwanese now live in the Shanghai area, since investments and factories were relocated factories to the mainland. They have pressured their government to lift its ban on direct flights. Under new Taiwanese regulations, the charter flights can start Jan. 26 a= nd must end by Feb. 10. Taiwan has long been reluctant to allow direct flights, partly because of concerns that China would use the air route to attack the island. =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2003 AP